Counting Sheets
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report 2007
14,112
Prepared by Molly Chidsey
Pollution & Waste Prevention Specialist
Multnomah County Sustainability Program
Department of County Management
MINT: http://MINT/sustainability
Web: www.co.multnomah.or.us/sustainability
September 11, 2007
Executive Summary
Paper is ubiquitous in the workplace, a tool for communication of new ideas and chronicling the past.
Americans used 100.2 million tons of paper in 2006.1 Considering that 1/3 of all trees cut down in the
U.S. are used for making paper products and that U.S. paper consumption is on the rise, the
environmental implications of using large quantities of copy paper are significant.2 The financial
consequences of using large amounts of paper are also significant: the costs for paper storage, printing,
copying, recycling, disposal and postage quickly add up. Paper usage is an important part of
Multnomah County’s Sustainability Program.
Working closely with the Sustainability Program, Multnomah County adopted a “Policy in Paper and
Paper Use” in 2003 (Resolution 03-0923) which established several goals for sustainable paper use.
This report shows whether Multnomah County government operations have met these goals as a whole
and by department, notes accomplishments made to-date, and suggests further revisions to the
County’s Paper Policy to encourage further reduction in paper use and increase in recycled content.
Key Findings of 2007 Progress Report
Multnomah County copy paper usage is down 5% overall. Some departments’ usage went down since
FY01, and other departments’ usage has increased.
Most of the paper used by county departments contains only the minimum of recycled content and is
not Processed Chlorine Free (PCF), even though higher recycled content paper and PCF papers are
available from Central Stores.
To meet the goals of the Paper Policy, Multnomah County needs to adopt the following
improvements:
1. Use 8,500 fewer reams of paper than were used in FY07 to achieve a 15% reduction from
FY01 baseline levels. Various strategies for paper reduction are listed in the following section of
this report.
2. Increase the amount of recycled content in the paper they purchase from Central Stores.
Central Stores should help facilitate this change by phasing-out paper with minimal recycled
content (30% recycled content).
3. Increase paper purchases on papers that are PCF (Processed Chlorine-Free). Currently, the
100% recycled paper available through Central Stores (Gray’s Harbor “Harbor 100”) is PCF.
1
Paper Industry Association Council, “2006 Recovered Paper Annual Statistics” http://stats.paperrecycles.org/.
2
Environmental Defense, Corporate Innovation program,
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/partnerships.cfm?subnav=partnerships_alliance_bus_resources.
3
Resolution 03-092 can be found online at the Multnomah County website:
http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/Public/EntryPoint?ct=34fedf87476cc010VgnVCM1000003bc614acRCRD
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report, 2007 Page 2
Introduction
Multnomah County departments combined used 84,671
reams of copy paper in fiscal year 2007 (from July Summary of Goals from 2003 Paper
Policy:
2006 through June 2007)4.
1. Use Less Paper. Reduce overall
To illustrate the environmental impacts of using this printing and copy paper consumption
much paper (at an average recycled content of 47%), by 10% by September 2005 and 15%
consider the following: by 2008 from fiscal year 2001 levels.
• 19 reams or 9,500 sheets of paper are used 2. Buy Paper with More Recycled
per year for every full-time equivalent Content. All copier and general use
employee5, consistent with the national paper product purchases by
average of 10,000 sheets a year for office Multnomah County meet a minimum of
workers; 50% post consumer content.
• Stacked on top of each other, these reams
would make a pile taller than Mt. Hood! 3. Buy Paper that is Processed Chlorine-
Free (PCF). All copier and general use
• Approximately 2,388 trees were cut down to paper products will be processed
make this paper6; chlorine free.
• Use of this much paper represents release of
about 994,757 pounds of greenhouse gases
into the atmosphere7.
Paper Policy Goal #1: Use Less Paper
Quantity of Copy Paper Used by Multnomah County Departments
Although recycling used paper and buying paper that contains
The term “Copy Paper” used
throughout this report refers
recycled content is good, using less paper supports waste
to common 20-pound 81/2” x prevention, an important priority in the familiar “Reduce, Reuse,
11” bond paper used for Recycle” hierarchy. Waste prevention is an upstream activity that
copiers and printers. Cotton involves reducing waste through changes in the design, purchase,
letterhead papers, legal-sized and use of materials – in other words, using less stuff8. The
papers, and pastel colored environmental impacts of producing the goods that eventually
papers were also counted. become waste are many times larger than the environmental
impacts of disposing or recycling that waste.
Overall, Multnomah County used 5% less paper in FY07 than it did in FY01 (see Figure 1 for
details by department.) Interestingly, some county departments’ usage decreased dramatically, and
other departments’ usage increased significantly. Reasons for these paper usage increases are varied,
including lack of awareness of the county’s Paper Policy, but also could be linked to an increase in
county services that require paper forms, reports, and records.
4
Ream counts and paper types information based on Multnomah County Central Stores sales records from FY07.
5
Assumes the Multnomah County has approximately 4,500 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employees.
6
Based on a calculation in Recycled Papers: The Essential Guide (1992), quoted on the website www.conservatree.org.
7
Greenhouse gas impact estimates were made using the peer-reviewed “Paper Calculator” from Environmental Defense,
www.papercalculator.org.
8
Oregon DEQ “Waste Prevention & Reduction” website, http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/wasteprevention/index.htm.
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report, 2007 Page 3
Figure 1. Total (Quantity) of Reams Used by County Departments (all copy papers)
Green: Met or exceeded 10% reduction goal
Red: Did not meet 10% reduction goal
FY01 FY07 Change from FY01
County Management9 12,277 9,768 -20%
Community Services 3,987 3,173 -20%
Human Services (includes
OSCP) 15,973 10,699 -33%
Community Justice 13,932 12,239 -12%
Health 12,717 14,625 + 15%
Libraries 8,560 8,978 + 5%
Non-Departmental 935 1,424 + 52%
District Attorney 10,732 12,060 + 12%
Sheriff 10,458 10,263 -2%
Total Reams Used by Depts: 89,571 83,229
Figure 2.
Quantity of Copy Paper Used by Multnomah
County Departments, FY01 Baseline Year & FY07
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
Reams
10,000 FY01
8,000 FY07
6,000
4,000
2,000
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9
Department of County Management FY01 usage estimate was calculated based on the assumption that DCM copy paper purchases
comprised 75% of the paper purchased by then-department Department of Business and Community Services.
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report, 2007 Page 4
Paper Policy Goal #2: Buy Paper with More Recycled Content
Types of Paper Purchased by Multnomah County Departments
Several types of copy paper are available from Multnomah County’s Central Stores for departments to
purchase, including papers that have 30% post-consumer recycled content (the minimum required by
EPA10), paper with 40% recycled content, and paper with 100% recycled content.
Averaged together, the copy paper used by Multnomah County departments last year contained
about 47% recycled content.
See Figure 3 and Appendix for types of paper used by departments.
Figure 3.
Recycled Content of Copy Paper Used by
Multnomah County Departments FY07
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000 100% Recycled
Reams
8,000 40% Recycled
6,000 30% Recycled
4,000
2,000
0
Community
Community
Health
Management
Attorney
Departmental
Sheriff
Services
Libraries
Human
District
Services
Justice
County
Non-
10
EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines for government paper purchases are listed at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-
hw/procure/products/printing.htm.
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report, 2007 Page 5
Paper Policy Goal #3: Buy Paper that is Processed Chlorine-Free (PCF)
A Goal Worthy of Pursuit
Using paper that has been whitened with non-chlorine compounds is a preference for Multnomah
County due to the toxic pollutants that are by-products of chlorine-based paper bleaching processes.
Though PCF papers don’t yet dominate the copy paper market, they are available primarily in the form
of copy papers made from 100% recycled postconsumer waste. These papers are relatively available
on the market.
At this time, Multnomah County could meet its goal of using PCF papers by purchasing copy paper
that is 100% recycled (with confirmation that this paper is PCF). Many county departments are
already using 100% recycled paper for the majority of their purchases, and these papers work well in
most network printers and copiers, with only a few exceptions (like microfiche printing machines).
Accomplishments To-Date
Multnomah County has made multiple efforts to buy more environmentally preferable paper and use
less paper over the past four years. For example:
• Central Stores and CPCA11 worked together to create a paper supply contract that enabled the
County to buy paper with varying amounts of post-consumer recycled content, at a competitive
cost lower than open market prices.
• Multnomah County’s contractor for copy machine leasing and
maintenance switched the default setting to duplex (to print all
multi-page print jobs on both sides of a sheet of paper).
• In 2005, More than 600 County employees took the “Paper
Pledge” to use less paper and to buy recycled paper.
• Several County departments have participated, including
electronic filing of contracts at Department of County Human
Services, electronic distribution of paycheck notices by the
Department of County Management, and purchase of a significant
quantity of 100% recycled paper by the Department of School and
Community Partnerships.
11
CPCA stands for Central Procurement and Contracts Administration, Department of County Management.
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report, 2007 Page 6
Improvements Needed
To meet the goals of the Paper Policy, Multnomah County needs to adopt the following
improvements:
1. Use 8,500 fewer reams of paper annually than were used in FY07 to achieve a 15% reduction
from FY01 baseline levels.
The following are suggestions for changes to paper-based operational processes that could prevent
paper waste and reduce overall usage.
a. Make duplex printing (on both sides) mandatory for all network printers and copiers.
b. Refrain from printing email and use electronic storage capacity instead.
c. Reduce reliance on paper forms that support needs of external county customers/clients.
d. Utilize electronic recordkeeping wherever appropriate for non-permanent records. Inquire
at the Multnomah County Records Management Program for electronic archives options.
e. Implement electronic methods for internal processes related to employee management,
including timesheets, benefits administration, and workflow processes.
f. Prepare reports electronically, like annual budget reports and other official documents.
Additional guidance on paper reduction is available in the county’s Waste Prevention & Recycling
Plan12, adopted in early 2007.
2. Make paper purchases sustainable by increasing recycled content and choosing PCF.
a. Increase the amount of recycled content in the paper they purchase from Central
Stores. Central Stores should help facilitate this change by phasing-out paper with
minimal recycled content (30% recycled content).
b. Increase paper purchases on papers that are PCF (Processed Chlorine-Free). The
100% recycled paper available through Central Stores (Gray’s Harbor “Harbor 100”) is
PCF.
If Multnomah County reached its goal of reducing paper usage by a total of 15% from FY01
levels, the cost of purchasing only 100% recycled/PCF paper would only be $5,000 more a
year. See Appendix B for details.
Conclusions
Multnomah County has made good progress toward its Paper Policy goals, but further improvements
are needed to reach those goals. Arguably, the most sustainable practice for paper use may be to use it
only sparingly, and then using tree-free, non-toxic varieties.
Until that is a reality, the improvements recommended above will ensure that Multnomah County not
only reaches its paper use goals, but also takes a step further toward sustainable paper use.
12
Multnomah County Waste Prevention & Recycling Plan: A Workplan for Reducing Solid Waste from Multnomah County Government
Operations, 2007. See also Multnomah County Resolution 05-102.
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report, 2007 Page 7
Appendix A. Quantity of Copy Paper Types Used by County Departments (Reams of 500 Sheets Ea.)
30% Recycled 40% Recycled13 100% Recycled & PCF
County Management 4,400 200 5,168
Community Services 1,235 260 1,678
Human Services (includes OSCP) 8,549 1,990 160
Community Justice 3,127 2,420 6,692
Health 8,703 1,921 4,001
Libraries 704 8,004 270
Non-Departmental 986 54 384
District Attorney 11,399 660 1
Sheriff 10,253 0 10
Total Reams: 49,356 15,509 18,364
Appendix B: Cost of Increasing Recycled Content of Multnomah County's Copy Paper
Reams Price per ream Total Difference Increase
CURRENT PRACTICES: Annual cost of using
30%, 40%, and 100% recycled white copy paper
(as of FY07)* 81,456 $2.68/$2.66/$3.09 $221,657
SCENARIO A: Annual cost if county only used
100% recycled white copy paper
• Quantity of paper used is same as FY07 81,456 $3.09 $251,699 $30,042 14%
SCENARIO B: Annual cost if county only used
100% recycled white copy paper, AND:
• used 10% less paper than in FY07
• met Paper Policy goals of using 15% less paper
than FY01 and using PCF paper 73,310 $3.09 $226,529 $4,873 2%
* This table assumes paper pricing per ream as available August 2007 from Multnomah County Central Stores.
13
The Paper Policy’s goal of buying papers with a minimum of 50% recycled content was based on the availability of a 50% recycled paper
at the time the policy was written (2003). That paper is no longer available, and a 40% recycled paper has taken its place in Stores.
Multnomah County Paper Policy Progress Report, 2007 Page 8