Isn PCF paper contaminated by chlorine from the fibers original virgin paper production?
Because virtually all virgin printing and writing papers in North America are bleached with some form of chlorine compounds or derivatives, one can assume that the recycled fibers come from papers originally chlorine bleached. Some health advocates have been concerned that trace amounts of chlorine might remain in the fibers. However, recycling is a very wash-intensive process. Before the fibers are made into new paper, they are washed, swirled, rubbed, screened, and rinsed many times. It is unlikely that chlorine will still be attached to the fibers. Rather, what matters most is how the paper is made in its recycled version. If it is processed without any chlorine or chlorine derivatives, it qualifies as chlorine free paper.
