Copy Paper: Handy Facts

Americans consume over 30 million tons of paper per year (PIAC, 2007). 

The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper per year (FNS, n.d.)

In 2004, federal offices used 109,000 tons of copier paper. By 2008 this amount was projected to increase by over 10% (FNS, n.d.)

Paper and pulp producers are the largest users of process water of all U.S. industry sectors (EPA, 2002)

The pulp and paper industry in the U.S. used nearly three quadrillion Btu of energy in 2007. That's 10% of all energy used by US manufacturing industries (EIA, 2007)

From energy use alone, the American paper and pulp industry is responsible for 102.3 million metric tons of CO2 per year – an amount equivalent to the carbon held in nearly 650,000 acres of forest preserved from deforestation, or over 21 million acres of pine or fir forests (EIA, 2007; EPA, 2008a). 

Of the 30 million tons of printing and writing paper consumed in 2007, just over 50% was recycled (PIAC, 2007)

There is no noticeable difference in the runnability of recycled paper versus virgin paper (Conservatree, 2003)

As of 2008, there were at least thirteen 100% PCW copy papers available (Conservatree).