Xerox develops new paper grade - uses less chemicals?

Xerox has targeted the green or 'greenhouse' market and developed a new paper which, "Uses less trees while saving customers money."

The claims for the new paper are:

• The 'first' digital printing paper made from mechanical pulp. It is a new use for an offset newsprint paper, optimised for digital printing
• uses the higher-yield (less trees) mechanical pulp rather than chemical pulp
• mechanical pulping is very energy-intensive; however, the pulp used is made in a pulp mill using hydro-electricity and results in 75% lower carbon emissions (when compared to a similar process using fossil fuels)
  
• mechanical pulp typically uses less chemicals
• The paper is 10% lighter than traditional bond paper
• the higher bulk and opacity of mechanical pulp allows some properties to be achiieved with less fibre. Problems of curling and dusting are claimed to be overcome
  
• saves on pulp usage (trees)
• saves on transport/postage costs
• The target market is for short-life print applications
• mechanical pulp yellows with time (brightness reversion)
  

The impact of this type of process on the use of paper chemicals is difficult to judge based on the information available so far. Sure, there is a difference in the amount of chemicals used to produce mechanical rather than chemical pulp. How are strength, stiffness, brightness and other key paper properties achieved?