Trevor Sargent
Ceist:77 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Finance the quantity of paper used, the quantity of recycled paper used and the quantities of post-consumer paper recycled by his Department.
Written Answers. - Paper Supply.
The figures for the quantity of paper used in my Department and in the offices under my aegis are not readily available and could not be compiled without incurring inordinate expense.
In the time available the following figures have been established:
Department of Finance.
My Department consumed 10,000 reams of paper, none of which was recycled. Approximately 13 tonnes of paper was recycled after use in 1992.
Valuation and Ordnance Survey Office.
This office used 1,070 reams of paper in 1992. Recycled paper was not used in 1992 nor was paper recycled after use.
State Laboratory.
One hundred and twenty-four reams of paper was used in 1992, none of which was recycled and no paper was recycled after use.
Office of Public Works.
Six thousand and three hundred reams of ordinary paper was used in 1992. None of this paper was recycled. On average, approximately 12 refuse sacks of waste paper are disposed of by Office of Public Works every week to a commercial recycling operator.
Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service Commission purchased 900 reams of ordinary paper in 1992 and 200 reams of recycled paper. It is not possible to identify the quantities of post-consumer paper recycled by the Commission during this period.
Office of the Ombudsman.
This office used 175 reams of ordinary paper and 241 reams of recycled paper in 1992. There was no post-consumer paper recycled by this office during that period.
Office of the Revenue Commissioners.
In 1992, 70 tonnes of recycled paper were used in the computer centre and the quantity of waste paper recycled amounted to some 1,000 tonnes. Figures are not available for the remainder of the office.
The above figures do not take into account envelopes, folders, memo pads, note books, and similar paper products. In general, recycled paper is used in the production of a certain quantity of the envelopes used in the Civil Service and in the production of toilet paper.