Earthenterprise Tool Kit - International Institute for Sustainable ...

EarthEnterprise Tool Kit
TOOL
Paper Purchasers Unite
As every office worker knows, electronic information systems will not phase out
paper any time soon. Indeed, paper products account for one-third of all
municipal solid waste.
In an effort to cut costs and create a market for the paper collected by recycling
p ro g ra m s , the Council of Great Lakes Governors spearheaded an
unprecedented cooperative purchase of 30 million pounds of recycled copier
paper in 1992. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
Wisconsin joined in the bidding process.The region settled on four distributors
offering Hammermill and Envirographics paper.
The savings: half a million dollars in taxpayers’money, three million pounds of
waste paper diverted from disposal, 130,000 trees, and the energy equivalent of
771,000 gallons of gasoline. Two additional paper purchases have been made
since and the Council now collectively purchases six additional products:
retreaded tires, re-refined oil, high speed computer form paper, envelopes,
other soft paper goods and plastic safety cones.
All 50 states now have buy recycled programs of one form or another, and 15
have agreed to pay as much as a 10 percent premium for recycled products.
Several provinces have also launched buy recycled programs.
In August, 1993, a task force created to increase the use of environmentally
preferable paper and paperboard products was formed by seven large U.S.
organizations. Duke University, the Environmental Defense Fund, Johnson &
Johnson, McDonald’s, NationsBank Corp, the Prudential Insurance Company
of America, and Time Inc. together purchase more than $1 billion worth of
paper products annually. They are major national consumers of business and
writing papers, publications, and packaging.
They have agreed to assess their paper performance needs and purchasing
s p e c i f i c a t i o n s , and then to conduct a comprehensive study of the
e nv i ronmental effects of paper pro d u c t i o n , u s e , re cy c l i n g , and disposal.
Recycled and virgin papers and a variety of pulping and bleaching technologies
will be evaluated on both a scientific and an economic basis. A purchasing
model, applicable to a broad range of institutions, is scheduled for release in
late 1994.
Watch for Kick-Started Markets
Governments at many levels are trying to kick-start new markets for products
made from recycled materials. Staying abreast of the legislation, regulations,
and business assistance programs can spur ideas for developing new products
and services. New market opportunities for existing products may also arise.
30
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT