Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) announces the introduction of
three new standards for paper and recycled products.
Now accepting products for certification, GECA’s Paper and Stationery
Products, Sanitary Paper Products and Recycled Products standards have been
updated from previous standards, and offer expanded scope and revised criteria
to set new environmental benchmarks for these products. Manufacturers can demonstrate
their environmental, health and ethical credentials by having their products
certified against these standards.
Paper and Stationery Products
Covering paper and stationery products sold in Australia, the Paper and
Stationery Products standard addresses the negative environmental impacts of
paper products throughout their lifecycle, from raw material sourcing and
manufacturing of pulp and paper to disposal. These impacts can include poor
forest management practices, release of toxic substances into the environment
from processes such as bleaching, and issues with packaging and end-of-life disposal.
Sanitary Paper Products
Addressing similar criteria to the Paper and Stationery Products
standard, the Sanitary Paper Products standard is designed for toilet paper,
facial tissues, paper towels, table napkins, general purpose wipes and other
paper products used for cleaning or personal hygiene.
Both of GECA’s new paper standards aim to promote sustainable management
of forests to minimise ecosystem disturbance; reduction in toxic and polluting
emissions to air and water; reduction in energy usage and encouraging energy
from renewable sources; reduction of environmental damage or risks related to
the use of hazardous chemicals; and improvements in waste management, especially
between the raw material stage and the completed paper product.
Recycled Products
A major component in consumer and industrial products, recycled content reduces
impact on the environment compared to the use of newly sourced (virgin)
materials, with recycled products often having the same strength and
performance characteristics of their non-recycled equivalents. GECA’s Recycled
Products standard is applicable to products made from at least 50% recycled
glass, plastics, rubber, timber, and fill and foundation materials such as sand
and gravel.
