Recycled paper pulp is a tricky material, as it needs lots of resources to produce.
We use the minus sign for recycled waste, signifying that it is used, not produced. This process uses about 25 gallons of water, but currently about 90% is treated and returned into the environment as clean water. Thus, only about 2.5 gallons are used in the calculations.
Impact of one pound of "Paper pulp, from recycled paper":
PI - Pollution Index. Indication of the amount and severity of the pollution generated during the life cycle of an item. The higher number, the more pollution.
DI - Depletion Index. Indication of the amount of resources used during production and disposal of an item. The higher number, the more resources are used (and the less sustainable the product is).
EI - Entropy Index. - Indication of the amount of energy wasted during the life cycle of an item. The higher number, the more energy is wasted.
CEII - Composite Environmental Impact Index. Indication of the item's impact on the environment, taking into account the resources used and the pollution generated during production, use, and disposal of the item. The higher number, the higher impact.