HC Deb 08 November 1989 vol 159 c688W
Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities provide collection facilities for(a) glass, (b) paper and (c) cans for recycling.

Mr. Freeman

I regret that this information is not held centrally.

Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of National Health Service stationery is(a) 100 per cent. recycled and (b) not recycled.

Mr. Freeman

National contracts for copy paper and listing paper for computer use do make provision for the use of recycled paper. No figures are yet available to show the percentage of recycled paper used. However, it is unlikely that the use of 100 per cent. recycled stationery will be significant. Large quantities of chemicals are necessary to achieve a desirable standard of whiteness in the paper. This calls into question the level of benefit to the environment, and can involve higher costs of production than ordinary paper.