Towels, Tissues & Wipers

The LEED EB: O&M standard calls for janitorial papers to meet one of three standards to be considered green. Sanitary papers may be derived from rapidly renewable resources or made from non-tree fiber; comply with EPA Guidelines for post-consumer recycle content; or be certified by Green Seal or EcoLogo.

 

Portion controlled and/or touch-free dispensing and source reduction packaging are other green attributes that enhance the environmental favorability of your towel & tissue selection.

 

EPA Guidelines for Post-Consumer Recycled Content:
 

                                                             

When making product selections, although the EPA Guidelines are a good starting point for evaluating the attributes of the product; they may not be the only criteria, especially when it comes to evaluating the green bona fides of a product. Depending on your organization’s specific environmental drivers, other factors to consider could be distance from your facility to the mill, as well as efficiency in use. (If a product is perceived to be greener than an alternative, but one needs to use more of it in order to satisfy a need, its green benefits may be negated by increased product being used.)

 

Perceived quality and cost should also factor into the equation. Although not environmental attributes; these factors nonetheless, play an important role in customer satisfaction and operational cost.