Highland Council commended by European watchdog for paper efficiency

8th July 2013

The Highland Council has been commended for its efforts to improve its use of paper in a report published today by a European environmental watchdog. Identified as a “high-flyer” by the European Environmental Paper Network (EEPN), the Council was placed third in the Government sector, and in the top band of scores overall.

The (EEPN) “Shrink Paper” project is encouraging UK society to tackle paper efficiency. The initial assessment, in which the Council took part, aimed to find out how seriously some of the UK’s biggest paper users are taking the issue.

The Council was assessed on a number of criteria including:

· Monitoring of paper consumption levels and costs;
· practical steps taken to reduce paper consumption; and
· measurable progress in reducing paper consumption.

Practical steps taken by the Council to use paper more efficiently, include:

All paper purchased and outsourced to print by the Council through contract is Forest Stewardship Council certified;
Printers are set to a default of double-sided printing;
Waste Awareness Officers work with schools and council offices to reduce paper usage and increase paper recycling;
The School Global Footprint project is currently assisting 25 Highland schools to measure and reduce their waste, including paper; and
The costs and CO2 emissions from printing are being monitored across the Council and will be reported at a staff member and individual printer level.

Council Leader Councillor Drew Hendry is delighted that the Council was mentioned in dispatches by the European environmental watchdog. Paper efficiency reduced carbon emissions, forest impacts, and pollution, and it had ethical and financial benefits too.

Only recently, the Council agreed to sign up to a long term commitment to create a Carbon Neutral Inverness in a Low Carbon Highlands; branded as a Carbon CLEVER Highlands by 2025.

He said: “The Council will continue in its efforts to increase paper efficiency, reduce paper use and associated costs and carbon emissions. The Council’s revised Carbon Management Plan 2013-20 contains a commitment to reduce paper use, and recommendations made by EEPN Paper Efficiency Project will form a basis for this. Paper contributes more to climate change than most other consumer products. It is estimated that its production and use emits over 8% of the world’s greenhouse gases – more than global aviation.”