Are paperless environments actually environmentally friendly?

“Go Paperless”, “Protect the Environment” are familiar messages in communications from businesses in an effort to adhere to corporate social responsibility efforts. But what are they based on?

Businesses have fully embraced digital comms in support of the environment but what are the full facts about the impact of paperless working?

Paper is a uniquely renewable and sustainable product. Its primary raw material, wood, is sourced from responsibly managed forests, ensuring sustainability. In fact, European forests—where most of the wood comes from—have expanded by an area equivalent to the size of Switzerland over the past 15 years.

Businesses and individuals are increasingly using ‘cloud’ services. These data centres store almost everything we do online from web searches to social media posts. But all this produces what has become known as ‘e-waste’. In 2022, the industry was responsible for a record breaking 62 million metric tonnes of e-waste across the world.

The environmental impact of e-waste versus print waste differs in several ways:

E-Waste: High Toxicity & Resource Intensity

Toxic Materials – E-waste contains hazardous substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can contaminate soil and water if not properly disposed of.

Non-Biodegradable – Most electronic components do not decompose naturally and persist in landfills.

Energy-Intensive Production – Manufacturing electronics requires rare earth metals and high energy consumption, contributing to carbon emissions.

Difficult Recycling – Electronics have complex compositions, making recycling expensive and inefficient.

Global Waste Problem – Many developed countries export e-waste to developing nations, where improper disposal harms human health and the environment.

Print Waste:

Deforestation – Paper production contributes to tree loss, habitat destruction, and reduced carbon sequestration. However as we mentioned earlier, responsibly managed forests have ensured that more trees are planted than are used.

Recyclability – Paper is more easily recyclable, and biodegradable compared to e-waste, reducing long-term pollution.

Lower Energy Consumption – While paper production requires energy, it is generally less resource-intensive than producing electronics.

Carbon Footprint – Printing (especially with ink and toner) releases emissions but usually at a lower scale than electronic manufacturing and disposal.

Which is Worse?

E-waste has a more severe long-term impact due to its toxic, non-biodegradable nature and resource-heavy production. Print waste is more sustainable if recycled properly, but excessive use contributes to deforestation and water pollution.

Ultimately balance is key; neither print waste nor e-waste is entirely sustainable—each has environmental trade-offs. However, by working with a sustainably responsible print partner (that’s us!) we can help manage your print projects to ensure that you are achieving the perfect print while supporting the environment.