Sustainability

CO&sub2; footprint: shredding, incineration or storage compared

12 May 2026 · 7 min read · DeSnipperaar

In the past, end-of-archive decisions were a pure security question. Today a CSR question is added: which route has the lowest climate impact? Three commonly chosen options are shredding-with-recycling, energy incineration (with heat recovery) and long-term storage in an external archive depot. This article places them side by side in CO&sub2; equivalents so you can justify a choice.

Methodology

Figures in this article are orders of magnitude based on publicly available LCA studies from the European paper and waste sector (CEPI, Avfall Sverige, EEA). Variation between providers is large; the numbers here serve to illustrate proportions, not to calculate your exact tonnage emissions. Ask your provider for their own figures for CSR reporting.

Option 1: Shredding plus paper recycling

The chain looks like this:

• Mobile truck drives to the site (diesel, shorter distance): ≈ 5-15 kg CO&sub2; per tonne of archive depending on distance.
• Shredder runs on the truck engine or separate diesel engine: ≈ 10-20 kg CO&sub2; per tonne.
• Transport of bale to paper mill (50-300 km): ≈ 10-30 kg CO&sub2; per tonne.
• Pulping and reproduction of cardboard or paper at the mill: ≈ 200-500 kg CO&sub2; per tonne, depending on the end product.
• Avoided emissions by not using fresh pulp: -300 to -600 kg CO&sub2; per tonne.

Net result: shredding plus recycling is usually CO&sub2;-positive or close to neutral, because the avoided emissions of fresh pulp are greater than the emissions of the processing operation. Read more about the chain in our article the circular journey of confidential paper waste.

Option 2: Energy incineration

Some providers incinerate confidential paper in a waste-to-energy plant with heat recovery. The claim is ‘circular’ (heat is used for district heating or electricity), but the figures are different from recycling:

• Transport to the incineration plant: ≈ 5-20 kg CO&sub2; per tonne.
• Incineration itself produces ≈ 1,500 kg CO&sub2; per tonne of paper (paper is largely carbon).
• Avoided emissions through heat output (replacing natural gas): -150 to -400 kg CO&sub2; per tonne.

Net: 1,000-1,300 kg CO&sub2; per tonne emitted. An order of magnitude worse than shredding-with-recycling, because the cellulose fibres are not reused and only release their energy once.

Incineration is not the same as recycling, even though some providers claim that. In CO&sub2; terms there is a factor 5-10 difference between them.

Option 3: External archive storage (postponing)

The choice to put an archive into storage instead of destroying it is usually not environmentally driven, but a consequence of fiscal or legal retention periods. Yet it has a CO&sub2; component:

• Transport to the archive depot: ≈ 10-30 kg CO&sub2; per tonne (one-off).
• Heating, cooling, security of the depot: ≈ 5-15 kg CO&sub2; per tonne per year.
• Possible later destruction anyway: see option 1 or 2.

For 10 years of storage plus eventual shredding you arrive at roughly 60-180 kg CO&sub2; per tonne. That is higher than direct shredding, but lower than incineration. Important: storage only postpones the problem; eventually a destruction decision must be taken.

The comparison in one table

Method	Net CO&sub2; per tonne	Recycling
Shredding + paper recycling	-100 to +200 kg (often negative)	Yes, fibre reused
Incineration with heat recovery	+1,000 to +1,300 kg	No, energy only
10 years storage + later shredding	+60 to +180 kg	Ends in option 1 or 2
Regular landfill	+1,500 to +2,000 kg	No, no heat utilised

What goes on the CSR evidence?

For your CSR report you need two documents:

• The destruction certificate with method (shredding) and final destination (paper mill). Read about the Certificate of Destruction.
• An offtake confirmation from the paper mill or a share statement (% recycled). Included on request with us.

What if the choice is still open?

Three practical recommendations:

1. Destroy as soon as retention periods allow. Unnecessary storage costs CO&sub2; and risk.
2. Choose a provider that delivers to a paper mill, not to incineration. Ask explicitly.
3. Choose on-site over offsite for a shorter transport chain, and read on-site versus offsite shredding.

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Working on a CSR annual report? Email us via desnipperaar.nl and we will provide a destruction certificate plus offtake confirmation that you can include directly.