French Public Authorities Survey
Trunks being processed at La Chonta timber company (member of Bolivia FTN - Forest and Trade Network).
After having assessed the paper policies of 50 major companies in 2010, the PAP50 Committee (WWF/Riposte Verte) rates 50 major French institutions and administrations (the Presidential office, the Prime Minister’s office, twelve ministries, twenty-two regions, the ten most important French cities and four public or semi-public public authorities) on their paper consumption, the proportion of recycled paper used and the actions implemented to boost recycling within their offices.
Only 1 sheet of paper out of 5 is recycled in the service sector
The recycling results are both unsatisfying and disturbing. Only 1 sheet of paper out of 5 comes from a recycled source in the service sector. Worse still, the section dedicated to recycling is not even addressed in the 2010 “Exemplary State” blueprint assessment, designed to measure institution performances against the objectives set by the “Grenelle (i.e. greening) process”, pointing to an absence in setting up proper indicators. Recycling enables the creation of local jobs within the refuse sorting and collecting sector. Moreover, the ecological assessment of recycled paper is higher than that of paper made with virgin fibre.
A lack of transparency…
The lack of transparency and commitment shown by our State representatives is woefully inadequate. One administration out of two, whereof the Presidential office, the Prime Minister’s office, and more surprisingly the Ministry of the Environment; Sustainable Development, Habitat and Transports refused to answer the survey. Those not answering the survey have been rated according to the paper policy documentation available publicly.
and of role models amongst our most prominent State administrations and institutions
Only 11 public authorities out of 50 major State administrations and institutions rank above average (51,5 out of 100).
Moreover, the objectives concerning paper listed in the bill entitled « Exemplary State » relative to the « Grenelle process » have not been met, since only two ministries manage to achieve the three « Grenelle » objectives concerning paper.
The paper sector is altogether considered to be one of the more mature in terms of environmentally-friendly consuming and buying, not to mention recycling. “If the “Grenelle” objectives are not implemented with paper, what with the other sectors less mature than paper? asks Serge Orru, WWF-France Director General.
An accountable paper policy is feasible now
The Public Authorities PAP50 Survey results show there is some hope however with a few players driving exemplary paper policies. The average rank amongst those did take part in the survey is higher than the 2010 Private Companies PAP50 (51,5 out of 100 vs. 43 out of 100).
We hereby wish to congratulate the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the Ile-de-France Regional Council, the Unemployment Office and the city of Strasburg which all show that it is fully possible to implement an exemplary paper policy no matter which institution (city, regional council; ministry, etc).
“Each institution has received customised recommendations which will have to be put into place in order to improve paper management in the public sector”, comments Valéry Hergott Riposte Verte Director and PAP50 Committee Member.
Press details WWF France:
Camille Lajus, Press Relations Manager: + 33 (0)1 55 25 84 61 / +33 (0)6 15 39 24 95 – clajus@wwf.fr
Pauline Dame, Press Relations Officer : + 33 (0)1 55 25 84 70 / + 33 (0)6 14 56 3739 – pdame@wwf.fr
Trunks being processed at La Chonta timber company (member of Bolivia FTN - Forest and Trade Network).
