Day 009 - 08 Jul 94 - Page 14
1
Because again, as you mentioned, Mr. Morris, when you
2 mentioned recycled paper, what does that really mean? The
whole goal of this process that happened during 1990 was
3 to identify the appropriate language, the appropriate
words that should be used to communicate to the public
4 when you say "recycled paper"; because somebody could say
"recycled paper" and it could mean simply a 100 per cent
5 preconsumer waste, and all that is is plant scrap being
reused within the recycling facility.
6
Another person could say: "I am using 100 per cent
7 recycled paper", and it is actually all post-consumer made
from things that you would put out on a kerb side
8 programme, things that have been used. Post-consumer is
strictly defined as something that has served a consumer
9 and been used for its intended purpose; post-consumer does
not mean that it is just you, as somebody in the public;
10 post-consumer can also mean a commercial enterprise.
11 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What it means is one use has been made of it
at least?
12 A. One use has been made, yes; for instance, our
corrugated box ----
13
MR. MORRIS: It is generally recycled basically?
14 A. No.
15 Q. Post-consumer means genuinely recycled after use, then
reused again?
16 A. Let me answer. I do want to answer that question.
Post-consumer is a combination of what people who live at
17 home would consume as a post-consumer; it is also
commercial enterprises and business, for instance,
18 corrugated boxes is a single largest paper component; it
is the most recyclable and the largest paper item in the
19 waste stream that can be recycled; that mostly comes from
business enterprises.
20
So what happened during 1980 is through this collective
21 dialogue between all interest groups a document was formed
by the Federal Trade Commission, which is the body and an
22 arm of government, that oversees how people and how
companies communicate to the public, the Federal Trade
23 Commission; what they published was green packaging
guidelines, labelling guidelines.
24
Q. That was in what year?
25 A. I believe that was published in 1991, but it was
debated prior to that.
26
Q. When packaging is part recycled and part virgin paper, at
27 that time, before that report, it could still be described
as, for example, "made with recycled paper" or something
28 like that?
A. Yes.
29
Q. Was McDonald's one of the first ----?
30 A. Before you carry on, there was no official way of
referring to it.
