Sustainability Report 2005-2006

Department of the Environment and Water Resources, 2007

Canberra environmental performance

Materials Used: Paper

EN1: Total materials use other than water, by type

Goals 2005-06

Consider the findings and recommendations of the paper audit and develop strategies to increase duplex printing
Conduct follow-up paper audit by June 2006
Conduct a strategic review of office machines to identify strategies to reduce paper consumption and improve energy efficiency

Performance 2005-06 and trends

Total white A4 paper use increased 8% to 19 825 reams. Normalised by staff numbers and work days, that represents 33 sheets per person per day, an increase of 5% over the previous period. Despite this, total and per-person costs decreased by 3% and 6%, respectively.

Table 1: A4 paper purchased, 2003-2006
	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	change
Reams (total)	14 300	18 350	19 825	8%
Sheets (total)	7 150 000	9 175 000	9 912 500	8%
Tonnes	35.75	45.88	49.56	8%
Reams/person/yr	15.08	15.8*	16.6	5%
Sheets/person/yr	7542	7903	8302	5%
Sheets/person/day	30	31	33	5%
Cost/year	$76 505	$108 644	$105 073	-3%
Cost/person/yr	$80.70	$93.58*	$88.00	-6%

*data has been recalculated to correct previous staff- number errors.

All printers covered by the ICT Services Agreement were refreshed with duplex capability and were programmed to have duplex as the default setting. Staff retain the ability to override this with their personal settings. The new EMS training programme encourages staff to minimise printing, and duplex wherever possible if printing cannot be avoided. It is expected that heightened awareness of paper usage issues and the extended capability of printers to duplex will help DEH manage its consumption of this resource.

Print Paper Consumption Trends

Commentary

The department uses a paper-based record keeping system that contributes to the consumption of paper materials. A scoping study has commenced on the institution of an Electronic Document Record Management System (EDRMS) to meet the department’s legislative record-keeping obligations in a less resource-intensive manner.

The difference between paper and cardboard recycled (109 tonnes) and A4 white paper purchased (50 tonnes) suggests that recycling figures may be over-reported, based on the collection figures offered by the service provider. While the paper recycling stream would contain a significant volume of non-“A4 white” paper, these statistics remain anomalous. The commissioning of a new records storage facility and the subsequent move did, however, result in a high volume of old paper materials (sentenced files, obsolete publications, etc) being recycled. Paper placed on file is not captured in the recycling figures.

Goals 2006-07

Support the EDRMS initiative and contribute to its implementation
Ensure that all Divisional areas have access to printers with duplex capability
Achieve a reduction in per-person paper consumption, by increasing awareness and encouraging duplex printing for compatible documents.

Environmental performance reporting