HP Lightweight Paper Targets 22% Raw Material Reduction

Submitted: The Two Sides Team April 10, 2012

HP Paper Thin will weigh 60 grams per square meter, 15 grams lighter than everyday paper, Business Green reports, resulting in a 22 percent reduction in raw material use.

March 22, 2012 – Hewlett-Packard is introducing a lightweight paper designed to reduce the environmental impact of printing and paper storage by up to 22 percent.

HP Paper Thin will weigh 60 grams per square meter, 15 grams lighter than everyday paper, Business Green reports, resulting in a 22 percent reduction in raw material use.

The reduced weight means that less water and fiber will be used in making the paper, and less fuel will be required to transport it. The product will also need less space to be stored, HP says, according to the web site.

HP Paper Thin will cost the same as regular paper and is due to be launched this spring in North America. A European launch date is penciled in for late 2012 or early 2013, Business Green reports.

To start with, HP is targeting the product at businesses signed up to its managed services program. The paper has not yet been tested on printers made by companies other than HP.

Earlier this month, HP announced that it had achieved a 50 percent improvement in product energy efficiency, exceeding its target.

HP had set a goal to reduce the energy consumption of its products, including printers, monitors and laptops, by 40 percent by the end of 2011, from a 2005 baseline. The company has a goal to cut energy use and GHG emissions by 20 percent by 2013, compared to 2005.