Tips on Using
Chlorine-Free Paper

What Do We Look for in Chlorine-Free Paper?

• Read the labels of paper supplies carefully. The dioxin problem applies to paper we use at home (toilet paper, napkins, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, etc.) and commercially (copying paper, etc.). Look for paper that is unbleached, or not bleached with chlorine. Some companies use hydrogen peroxide for bleaching; this is O.K.
  
• Some products may have a label which says "processed chlorine free" (PCF) or "totally chlorine free" (TCF). Either is fine.
  
• DO NOT buy elementally chlorine-free paper. This process uses a different form of chlorine (chlorine dioxide), but the bleaching process still produces dioxins and organochlorines. Some companies try to mislead consumers by saying elementally chlorine-free paper means chlorine-free, which is not true.

Sample Explanation of Chlorine-Free

When you select a chlorine-free paper for publishing/printing needs, we recommend that you put a note to this effect on the paper, to help raise awareness of the issue.

There are two different kinds of chlorine-free papers, TCF (uses virgin pulp) and PCF (uses recycled pulp). Below are sample explanations of the terms which you may reproduce, as needed:

• Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) paper designation refers to paper which does not use pulp produced with chlorine or chlorine-containing compounds or bleaching agents. This paper has been selected out of our concern for the health of people and the planet, in line with Women’s Division and United Methodist Church policies which advocate for the elimination of dioxin, a highly toxic by-product of the chlorine-bleaching process.
  
• Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) paper designation refers to recycled paper. All recycled fibers have not been rebleached with chlorine-containing compounds. Any virgin fibers are totally chlorine-free, i.e. they have not been bleached with chlorine. This particular paper is made with xxx% recycled fibers. It has been selected out of our concern for the health of people and the planet, in line with Women’s Division and United Methodist Church policies which advocate for the elimination of dioxin, a highly toxic by-product of the chlorine-bleaching process.

Read about What's Wrong with Chlorine?