| An office paper
recycling and buy back scheme designed especially for Surrey is
urging offices in Spelthorne to make a positive New Year’s
Resolution - to set up an office paper recycling scheme! 'Local
Paper for Surrey', run by local environmental organisation BioRegional
Development Group, is offering a free service to help offices do
just this. The project aims to provide a sustainable office paper
cycle for Surrey, a county with a low paper recycling rate, and
has so far received a good response from the business community
– members range from roofers to travel agents. The scheme
will focus on the Spelthorne area during January and February.
It is estimated that Surrey's
current office paper recycling rate is only 10-15%, far below the
national average of 36%. Local Paper for Surrey offers free advice
and support materials on how businesses can recycle their office
paper waste at their local paper mill, then buy back the 100% recycled
office paper that the mill produces, thereby 'getting their own
back'. The scheme is funded by grants from the SITA Environmental
Trust, Surrey County Council and South East England Development
Agency (SEEDA).
Since the schemes launch in 2003
the team have been contacting businesses and schools in Surrey through
business groups such as Surrey Chambers of Commerce and the Federation
of Small Businesses. BioRegional aim to have 200 organisations enrolled
after two years, resulting in 1,000 tonnes saved from landfill per
year and saving 17,000 trees per year.
Supporters and partners in the
scheme include the former High Sheriff of Surrey, Penelope Keith,
Surrey County Council and District Councils, environmental groups,
paper companies, paper collectors and Surrey based business groups
such as the Surrey Sustainable Business partnership.
Jane Buntin manages the free Local
Paper for Surrey advice line, she commented:
“We are thrilled to have launched this scheme. We are urging
offices to sign up to all three steps; that is to reduce, recycle
and buy back. It’s good to see more offices and individuals
recycling but if we don’t buy the recycled products back then
the market for them will never grow.
The recycled paper is guaranteed
in photocopiers and when people receive the free samples they will
be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the paper. And employment
in Surrey will benefit too, a job in recycling will be created for
every 21 new members on the scheme”.
The project builds on the success
of its sister scheme Local Paper for London6 which has recruited
577 businesses from London and the South East over the past 2 years.
Annually the 577 offices divert 4,000 tonnes of paper from landfill
and save 71,000 trees from being felled. This is a great achievement,
but there is potential to save even more resources with the scheme's
expansion into Surrey. Many organisations, such as Direct Line Insurance,
have found that the local, quality recycled paper is cheaper, and
are making savings on trade waste charges by recycling instead of
dumping waste paper, cutting their annual paper bills by as much
as 20%.
For more information about Local
Paper for Surrey, or to arrange an office visit call 020 8404 4886,
or email
surreypaper@bioregional.com
Notes
Some scheme members include:
Nescot (North East Surrey College of Technology) based in Epsom
Waverley Borough Council based in Godalming
Titan Travel Ltd based in Salfords, Redhill
City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead
HCD Building Control based in Banstead & Reigate
Handicap International charity based in Farnham
Cobsen Davies Roofing based in Dorking, and many more
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