What does the FSC Recycled label mean? Was it originally from an FSC-certified forest?
Wood products carrying the FSC Recycled label have been verified by a third party certification body as being made from at least 70% post-consumer reclaimed materials, i.e. wood and or wood fibre that has been reclaimed from a product after that product has been used for its intended purpose by individuals or businesses. The remaining material must be verified as pre-consumer waste.
Paper products can contain any balance of pre-consumer and post-consumer reclaimed material as long as all applicable parts of the product are verified as reclaimed. The FSC Recycled label is not, however, a guarantee that the wood originally comes from an FSC-certified forest.
Is it better to choose recycled or virgin products?
Recycling paper and wood products not only makes the best use of the yield of the tree (by extending the life span of its fibres), it also reduces the amount of waste going to landfill sites. The use of FSC Recycled paper and timber can help to alleviate the pressure of demand on sources of virgin material, thereby helping to protect the world’s forests.
It is likely there will always be a need for virgin timber and pulp, as demand for timber products remains high and the life span of recycled fibres for use in paper manufacture is limited.
By giving the forest economic value, FSC certification can help to ensure its future and, through responsible management, the wildlife and people who depend on the forest can thrive. Using FSC-certified pulp and timber helps to ensure that the use of virgin material does not damage the world’s forests. FSC recognises the role both FSC virgin and recycled paper and timber products play in the protection of the world’s forests.