'Paper junkies' can't kick printing habit

Paper junkie office workers are costing their companies up to 10 per cent of their turnover printing out more than 120 billion pieces of paper each year.

More than half of workers confessed to wasteful printing, according to a study by Envirowise - a government-funded programme advising businesses on sustainability.

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The study found each office worker, on average, uses 22 sheets of paper per day, many unnecessarily.

Chief paper waste criminals identified by the study include the 'old school printer', who can't read or comment on emails unless they're printed out, and the 'competitive printer', who spreads needlessly printed paperwork around their desk to make them look important.

Also in the dock are 'hasty printers' who print documents running to numerous pages without checking their length beforehand.

Mary Leonard, Envirowise director, said in a statement: "Most offices will find they can reduce waste costs by 20 per cent through simple low-cost actions. Measures such as double sided or multiple page printing and recycling instead of paying for disposal can really help."

Paper contributes to half of all office waste in the UK with nearly five million tonnes being binned annually.

Elaine Sharp, Envirowise marketing manager, said: "There is an awful lot of waste going on out there. The average loss of turnover just from waste is four per cent but once you factor in the cost of toner, maintenance of printers and cost of landfill then the harm to businesses can be between five and 10 per cent.

"I think we are a long way from a paperless office. The message is getting out there but the problem is that paper is the forgotten resource in business even though it can be a very simple way of saving money."