<B>EPA Regional Office Mandates Recycling Use Increase</B>

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 has instituted a policy mandating all printing and writing paper used must by 100 percent recycled with 100 percent post-consume fiber, as well as be processed chlorine free.

Currently, the federal government standard for paper is that it only have 30 percent recycled post-consumer content.

All of the region's publications will not only use 100 percent recycled paper with 100 percent post-consumer fiber but will be printed using vegetable-based inks. Paper that is process chlorine free reduces the amount of dioxin in wastewater. The paper mills will use hydrogen peroxide or ozone to bleach the paper rather than using chlorine or chlorine dioxide.

The mid-Atlantic region covers Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.