Lever Arch Folders

What?

A folder used by businesses and students for filing and storing notes

Where?

If they are made from cardboard – separate the metal lever arch panel from the binder, put both parts in the recycling bin. If they are made from plastic or are plastic covered – remove the metal lever arch panel from the binder and put in the recycling bin. The plastic binder is generally not recyclable, unless it is made from eg polypropylene..

Comment

Virgin fibre paper ring binders are made from tree fibre and use a lot of water, energy and trees. If they end up in landfill it’s a great waste of valuable resources – it could have up to 7 more lives in recycled paper. Not only that, but in landfill as it decomposes it gives off methane – a greenhouse gas.

Plastics are made from non-renewable natural resources such as crude oil, gas and coal. Plastic binders can theoretically be recycled but most aren’t in practice. In landfill they hang round for centuries. The worst plastic lever arch files are made from or covered in PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) which is polluting and problematic both in production and in landfill.