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Paper is often caught in the middle of the sustainability conversation. Despite being one of the most widely recycled and renewable materials in use today, it is frequently misunderstood. A common assumption persists that paper is inherently harmful to the environment, while digital alternatives are automatically cleaner. The reality is more nuanced.
The “Paper Equals Deforestation” Assumption
One of the most enduring myths is that using paper directly drives deforestation. In fact, the paper industry in Europe relies on responsibly managed forests, which are growing by an area equivalent to 1,250 football pitches every day.1
Trees used for paper are often grown specifically for that purpose, much like crops. When managed responsibly, this creates a continuous cycle of growth, harvest and regrowth rather than permanent forest loss.
The Overlooked Circular Economy of Paper
Another misconception is that paper is a single-use material. In reality, paper is one of the most successfully recycled materials in the world. In Europe, paper has an average recycling rate of around 75%, making it one of the strongest circular material streams in the economy.2
Paper fibres can also be reused multiple times, circulating through the system and being recycled approximately 4 times on average before they become too short for further use.2 From packaging to newspapers and office paper, fibres are routinely recovered and returned into production streams, extending their life far beyond a single use.
The Digital vs Paper Carbon Comparison
A particularly common belief is that going digital is always better for the environment. While digital communication eliminates physical materials, it is not impact free. The electronic waste problem is now colossal and rapidly growing. In 2022 alone, the world generated a record 62 million metric tonnes of e-waste, equivalent to the weight of around 620 cruise ships.3
At the same time, the ICT sector accounted for an estimated 4 to 6 percent of global electricity use in 2020, contributing more than 2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.4 As digital consumption continues to rise, these figures are expected to increase further.
Paper, by contrast, is produced from a renewable resource and is widely recyclable. When responsibly sourced and recycled, its lifecycle can be comparatively efficient, particularly for products with short-term use or high recyclability rates.
The key point is not that one medium is universally better than the other, but that environmental impact depends on context, usage and lifecycle.
Why the Myth Persists
Part of the reason these misconceptions endure is visibility. Paper waste is tangible and easy to see, while digital infrastructure is largely invisible. A discarded sheet of paper is immediately noticeable, while the energy required to stream content, power devices, or store data in the cloud is not.
This creates an imbalance in perception. What we can see often feels more impactful than what we cannot, even when the opposite may be true.
Rethinking the Role of Paper
When viewed through a lifecycle and systems lens, paper is not the environmental problem it is often assumed to be. Instead, it is a renewable, recyclable and responsibly managed material that plays an important role in a low-carbon circular economy.
If you want to read more facts about paper, check out our paper fact file.
