Recycled paper certified with 'Blauer Engel' consists of 100 percent recycled material, saving at least 60 percent of water and energy in production and causing between 15 and 50 percent fewer CO₂ emissions compared to fresh fiber paper. Additionally, recycled paper reduces the pressure on forests, allowing them to remain a CO₂ sink for a longer time [1,2]. Therefore, the Umwetlbundesamt recommends the use of recycled paper with 'Blauer Engel' certification [3].
Black and white printing is more environmentally friendly compared to color printing: the production of colors is more complex and requires more resources than black ink, which is made from soot. Colors contain binders, resins, waxes, and surfactants. Depending on the manufacturer, natural resins and oils or petroleum products are used. However, the pigments in all printing inks consist of complex organic-chemical compounds that also contain copper. These substances in the inks need to be removed from the paper through a special process (deinking) in the paper recycling process, which requires more energy and water.
Furthermore, black and white printing and recycled paper are significantly cheaper than color printing and fresh fiber paper.