[1] ‘Second Harvest Paper’ refers to papers made with agricultural residues. Agricultural residues are residues/by-products of food and other crops that have great papermaking qualities, and using them maximizes the lifecycle of the fiber. Fibers include: cereal straws such as wheat straw, rice straw, seed flax straw and rye seed grass straw; stalks from corn or sorghum; sugar cane bagasse. Kenaf, an on-purpose crop, may also be included in this list where a life cycle analysis (LCA) shows environmental benefits and conversion of forestland to on-purpose crops is not a concern.Source: Paper Task Force Report, Non-Woods section – Technical Supplement Part IIIA. The Paper Task Force Report was conducted by Duke University, Environmental Defense Fund, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald’s, The Prudential Life Insurance Company of America, and Time Inc. in 1996. This report continues to be one of the most comprehensive paper LCA’s undertaken in North America to date. 

Photo: USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service