Deforestation, a result of relying on virgin materials for paper and other wood products, emits high levels of greenhouse gases and leads to the endangerment or extinction of plants and animals that call those forests their home. Paper products, when kept in landfill, produce harmful greenhouse gases such as methane. Kept out of the landfill, paper can be recycled many times and turned into repurposed material.

Recycling one ton of recycled paper saves 3,700 pounds of lumber and 24,000 gallons of water. High-grade office paper is recycled into lower grade paper such as newsprint. Newsprint may be recycled into egg cartons. Paper fibers may be recycled up to seven times.

To reduce the life-cycle environmental impacts of paper products, it is crucial to foster appropriate management of paper materials. The county's goal is to seek out markets and improve recycling streams. It focuses on exploring the programs and activities that offer a comprehensive approach to managing paper materials domestically.

In 2020, King County and Seattle funded research on the secondary paper market in the Puget Sound region Download PDF 1.2 MB.

King County is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition external link .

• Sustainable Packaging Coalition external link
  A membership-based collaborative to make packaging more sustainable.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation external link
  Develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy. It works with business, academia, policymakers, and institutions.