Colleges generate copious amounts of paper in the form of memos, handouts, course packets, office, school paper and beyond.  This involves paper choices and includes: distribution, copy machines, printers and other technology that involves resources and environmental impact.  Campus Printing Departments are a key area where use of environmentally friendly products and practices can make a huge impact in waste reduction, recycling and sustainability.

Making alliances with the campus printing department is critical in closing the loop on a campus recycling effort.  (After all, college recycling programs recycle more paper then any other item).  By purchasing recycled content paper, the campus is supporting the demand for collected recycled materials, a vital piece in the viability of a college recycling effort.

     Here is a list of some of the possibilities:

*Create a recycled paper policy (see example below) that requires the campus to utilize post consumer recycled content paper, chlorine free, tree free papers.  Some campus policies go as so far as to put a surcharge on neon and heavily dyed papers (which are toxic and can only be recycled as low grade).  These policies also specify ½ sheet and double sided copies as the default for all orders unless otherwise specified.

   

*Establish a short campus everybody department list so that departments only get a small amount of fliers, announcements etc... encourage departments to have a bulletin board for these postings.

*Create a campus "stop the junk mail" postcard that can be ordered through Printing.  These postcards should have text on them to request to be removed from mailing lists, a place to tape the mailing label and of course the flip side needs to be addressed to whatever company you are asking to stop the mailing.  College campuses get hordes of unsolicited off campus mail.  This material is expensive for the college to process and deliver, while creating a lot of trash and paper recycling that also has associated costs.  The "stop the junk mail" card has been successful on many campuses and thus has saved money in labor, handling and disposal.

*Encourage the Printing Department to offer chlorine-free, recycled and tree free papers.  Be sure and consider working on the getting the campus stationary and business cards printed on environmentally friendly paper as well.  Assist the department in promoting the use of these papers to create a campus demand.

*There are many paper buying cooperative opportunities out there to save money for schools looking to purchase environmentally friendly papers

*There are great soy based and vegetable inks available for use in the printing process.  Many colleges have been looking at this option.  Inks and dyes used for paper, are some of the most toxic substances in our environment.  These new inks reduce the risk to the workers and the environment while offsetting a past hazardous practice and creating compliance with the Clean Air Act.  Additionally, all campuses have to consider hazardous material disposal costs.  With environmentally friendly inks and dyes, this situation eases.

*Encourage creation of on-line ordering of Printing Department orders.   Colleges process thousands of orders on printing and copying.  On-line ordering saves paper (usually in triplicate!) and other hassles.

*And of course, don’t forget to work with your Printing and Copying Departments to ensure maximum recycling.  There is a lot of valuable paper that can be recovered from these areas.

There are many other things that Printing Departments can do to reduce toxic chemical use and waste generation. Processes like image processing, plate processing, cleaning, use of fountain solutions can be very toxic processes.   The good news is that there are more and more non-toxic alternatives and new systems out there to alleviate this impact.

*Build alliances with campus Printing Departments, as they are the foot in the door on recycling, environmentally friendly purchasing, toxics reduction and waste reduction.

Sample of a Recycled Paper Policy

It is the policy of the University of ---- to purchase and use recycled paper products in its operations in accordance with Executive Order No. ----, dated ----.  This policy requires the purchase and use of paper products made from recycled materials when such products are of a quality to satisfy applicable specifications, are available in the desired preferential rules of the State of ---- Model Public Contract Manual.

Any University of ---- request for bids or quotes for purchase of paper products, including authorized printing from outside vendors, shall include a solicitation of bids or quotes for recycled paper and papers that have not been bleached with chlorine or other hazardous materials.  No specification shall require the use of paper products made exclusively of virgin materials, nor specifically exclude the use of recycled paper or tree-free products, as provided in ---- State statutes.

University Printing Services shall have the authority to specify the minimum recycled content standard in bid solicitations to accomplish the purpose of this policy.  The default for all office equipment that uses paper, such as copiers, printers and fax machines, shall be set to reflect these specifications, and be in compliance with the State of ---- policy guidelines.  Every effort will be made to eliminate excessive or unnecessary paper use.  Strategies for doing so include: electronic mail or other paperless communication, double side copying, half sheets of paper for all brief, printed on campus communications, short distribution and targeted mailing lists to reduce volume.

In accordance with the guide lines stated above in this policy, the official stationery program as shown in Graphic Style of the University of ---- shall be determined by the Office of University Publications and University Printing Services, with approval by the Environmental Issues Committee.   The use of heavily dyed paper or paper which requires special handling for recycling will be subject to additional charges.

Resources

Conservatree
http://www.conservatree.com/paper/Choose/PaperSelection.shtml

Gans Ink and Supply Company
http://www.gansink.com/

Living Tree Paper
http://www.livingtreepaper.com/

Safety Kleen

The Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative (RPPC)
http://www.recycledproducts.org/

ReThink Paper
http://www.rethinkpaper.org/

Reach for Unbleached (RFU)
http://www.rfu.org/

Recycled Paper Coalition
http://www.papercoalition.org/aboutus.html

Xerox Green World Alliance
http://www.xerox.com/go/xrx/template/020e.jsp?Xcntry=USA&Xlang=en_US