Something for LAs to smile about
June 1st 2007

An environmental initiative by Lotus Professional is set to help local authorities improve their green credentials by creating a zero 'paper-footprint' from their selection of washroom paper products

The first initiative of its kind in the industry in the UK,'Smile' will enable the public sector to be even more proactive on recycling and the environment.

With increasing pressure on the public sector to procure responsibly and the Government's pledge to be the leader on sustainable procurement by 2009, Lotus Professional is undertaking to create a zero 'paper-footprint'by eliminating any net contribution of paper to landfill in key products sold to the public sector.

This will be achieved by sourcing and recycling the same tonnage of waste fibre that it sells to public sector services in washroom paper products.

For example, if Lotus Professional provides 1,000 cases of hand towels to a college, school or council it will aim, wherever possible to buy enough recovered paper fibre from the nearest suitable waste collection agency to make at least the same volume of products.Waste will always be recovered to the nearest Lotus Professional mill in the UK, meaning that it will never travel unnecessary miles to be recycled.

Lotus Professional is also reinforcing the message that its 'Smile' range of away-from-home paper products is manufactured in the UK using 100% UK and Ireland recovered fibre.

This means that no virgin pulp is used in the production of 'Smile'hand towels and toilet roll and all raw material is sourced in the UK and Ireland.

With the initiative now rolling out across the UK, Lotus Professional says that 'Smile' will help public sector services to meet their sustainable procurement responsibilities.

"Lotus Professional has been supplying paper disposable products to central and local government for the past 25 years and has continually produced a range of products tailor-made to this sector's needs," says John Phillips, Public Sector Manager at Lotus Professional.

"'Green procurement is a major focus and the Government is keen that its own services lead by example, becoming renowned for sustainable procurement.'Procuring the Future', the sustainable procurement national action plan has identified paper as one of ten priority areas that should be a major focus for responsible procurement over the coming years,with a desire to move towards a zero waste public sector.

"With this in mind, the 'Smile' range of products has been developed to ensure that our environmental objectives and commitments are clearly defined.We are proud that the key products sold into the public sector are made from 100 per cent UK and Ireland recovered fibre.This means that we are not transporting paper over unnecessary long distances whilst ultimately supplementing the UK's waste with that from abroad.With 'Smile'we are buying waste paper in the local area that our products are supplied, ensuring that each individual area is benefiting from our zero paper footprint policy.

"Ultimately, the 'Smile' campaign means that Government services will be able to easily understand the positive implications of purchasing paper products from Lotus Professional." For further details either call the number below or use the online enquiry service at: cleaningmatters.com/enquiry

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