A campaign to more clearly identify and rank the myriad sustainability claims surrounding the production of printer paper has gained momentum with the release of a draft report by a government-supported environmental group.
The report into sustainability issues surrounding printer paper and three other areas – cleaning products, small electronics and meat and dairy - has been developed by the Buying Better project team at Green Capital.
The campaign is aimed at exposing a plethora of unsubstantiated 'green' claims – known as 'greenwashing' – that have surrounded the printer paper market in recent years.
It has been stated that the Buying Better project does not represent the final positions or policies of Green Capital, its parent body the Total Environment Centre (TEC), nor are endorsed by the Green Capital Partners, or the Buying Better project sponsors Sustainability Victoria and the Office of Environment and Heritage, in the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.
TEC executive director Jeff Angel told a Green Capital conference in Sydney last week that for all of the familiarity with paper and its sourcing and chain of custody issues, it remains one of the most complex, controversial and difficult decision-making areas for business procurement.
"For a while it seemed like the paperless office may be the future, but in practice that's not been the destination for most enterprises," he said. "Many have made some reduction in paper use, through simple practical measures such as mandating double-sided printing, and the rise of emails and electronic documents. But massive consumption of printer paper persists and it is now timely for definitive engagement by all value-chain stakeholders."
Angel said Green Capital's Buying Better Phase 2 process aimed to provide clear guidance to business procurement and consumer purchasing decision-makers on the most 'material' issues in regard to printer paper acquisition.
The Sydney conference was told that between 200 to 300 'eco labels' were in use around the world.
Fuji Xerox Australia sustainability manager Amanda Keogh told the conference that there was a "lot of confusion among customers" and that any label is "only as good as the standard that supports it."
Keogh added that greater collaboration between the various industries to provide data would create more faith in products among consumers.
Retailer stakeholders in the Buying Better program include Australia Post, Officeworks, OfficeMax, Office Products Depot, Staples, Woolworths, Office Choice, Dick Smith, Kmart, Target, Coles and IGA.
Other stakeholders include Australian Paper (Nippon Paper), Fuji Xerox Australia, Canon Australia and Paperlinx.
