WWF urges Green Offices to install reusable cloth towels instead of disposable paper towels. Cloth towels use considerably less water and energy compared to paper towels, which significantly reduces the amount of greenhouse gases created. Large rolls of washable toweling can be hired for office use together with the related laundry service, or normal washable hand towels can also be used.

One roll of cloth towel eliminates the use of 24,000 disposable paper towels. Each roll can typically be used to dry around 240 pairs of hands between washes, and the same roll can be washed and reused 100 times. One used up roll generates about 2 kilos of waste, whereas disposable paper towels generate about 80 kilos of waste.

 
If the office takes reusable hand towels into use, it is advisable to consider an effective solution for washing them.

More information: Cotton versus Paper Towels -Summary of Life Cycle Analysis >> (pdf, 200 Kb)

Sources: HSY Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority, Nordic Swan eco-labelling scheme