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100% RECYCLED PAPER NEW STANDARD FOR EPA OFFICE

Release Date: 1/17/2001
Contact Information: Rene A. Henry, (215) 814-5560

Rene A. Henry, (215) 814-5560

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 17 – The mid-Atlantic regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is practicing what it preaches – recycling. It announced a new policy today that all of the printing and copy paper that it uses will be 100 percent recycled with 100 percent post-consumer fiber and process chlorine-free. Currently, the federal government standard for paper is that it only have 30 percent recycled post-consumer content.

“The environmental impact will be significant,” said Bradley M. Campbell, EPA regional administrator. “Based on our anticipated use of copy paper and printed publications in the coming year, the environmental savings over the 30 percent standard for just our region equates to eliminating 73,372 pounds of solid waste, conserving 80,730 gallons of water, saving 105,300 kilowatt hours of electricity, preventing the emission of 133,380 pounds of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, and sparing the cutting of 810 trees that would be used for new paper.”

“As the agency responsible for protecting human health and safeguarding our air, water, and land, we believe this is a major step in further protecting our environment,” Campbell added. “We hope other federal agencies, state and local governments and the regulated community will follow our lead. This also is a milestone achievement in further implementing the Clinton-Gore Administration’s greening of government.”

All of the region’s publications will not only use 100 percent recycled paper with 100 percent post-consumer fiber but will be printed using vegetable-based inks. Paper that is process chlorine free reduces the amount of dioxin in wastewater. The paper mills will use hydrogen peroxide or ozone to bleach the paper rather than using chlorine or chlorine dioxide.

The mid-Atlantic region covers Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.