E-Guide to Paper Prevention

Facts:

• Just 10% of the worlds population consumes 50% of the worlds paper.
• There has been a significant increase in paper consumption since the 1960’s despite technological advances.
• The manufacture & printing of a single sheet of A4 paper from a desk top printer produces over 28g of CO₂.
• Each desktop printer cartridge creates an additional 307g of waste material.
• The manufacture of a typical photocopier produces over 500Kg’s of greenhouse gas emissions.

How can you reduce paper consumption?

Step 1: Carry out an audit of procurement to find out exactly how much paper your organisation purchased over the last few years:

Key Environmental & Economic Questions include:

• Does paper consumption vary from year to year – if so – why? What are the reasons?.
• Who supplies the paper – is it tendered for on an annual basis?.
• Where does your paper come from? What’s its environmental specification? For more information on this check out: www.whatsinyourpaper.com.
• Who manages the flow of paper through your organisation? What control measures are in place?.

Step 2: Carry out an audit of printing equipment to see if improvements can be made:

Key Environmental & Economic Questions include:

• Can printers & copiers be defaulted to print double-sided (duplex) only?.
• How many desk top printers are there? Can this number be reduced & shared facilities introduced instead?
• Does your equipment include the “Scan to email” function?
• Does your equipment need upgrading? A leasing arrangement may prove more beneficial economically & environmentally.
• For more information on green procurement in relation to copying equipment check out: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/toolkit_en.htm .

Step 3: Carry out a waste audit of paper collected for recycling or disposal:  Download a step to step guide to conducting a waste audit from the resources section of this website.

Key Environmental & Economic Questions include:

• Do all staff have access to recycling facilities?
• Is confidential waste shredded?
• Is paper contaminated by other recyclables?
• Is there a system to collect office paper for re-use as scrap paper?

Step 4: Develop an action plan which will change people’s attitudes and actions in the workplace.

Key activities include:

• Setting reduction targets for paper consumption.
• Establishing a green team to develop actions and raise awareness across the organisation.
• Develop a communications programme so that all staff are informed.
• Establish a method of changing policy & strategy within the organisation to assist positive environmental action.

Open the resources section of this website to find out more about the paper prevention project underway in the University Of Limerick and Limerick County Council.