One of Nation's Largest Distributors of Facilities Supplies Introduces Line of Green Products; Unisource Respect(TM) and Size is Right(TM) Product Lines Offer Environmental and Cost-Saving Solutions for Facilities Maintenance.

ATLANTA -- Unisource Worldwide, Inc., one of the largest independent distributors of facility supplies in North America, today announced it is adding a Unisource brand of environmentally responsible products to its facility maintenance product line. Unisource worked with leading manufacturers to develop new products and to offer customers green cleaning and waste packaging alternatives that meet or exceed current standards for high performance and cost efficiency.

Unisource's new line of Respect(TM) cleaning products have earned Green Seal(R) certification for environmental and worker safety. Founded in 1989, Green Seal provides science-based environmental certification standards that are credible, transparent, and essential in an increasingly educated and competitive marketplace. The new Unisource products have also been rigorously tested by a panel of cleaning experts to ensure they meet the highest performance standards including cleaning effectiveness, ease of application, and overall economy of use.

The Respect line is packaged with Unisource's new generation chemical dispensing system that makes working with any concentrated cleaning chemical safer for workers and the environment. The Chemtrol Mini(TM) integrates dispenser and chemical container to sharply reduce or eliminate the possibility of spills or escaping fumes.

Size is Right(TM) Trash Can Liners Designed To Eliminate Waste and Reduce Costs

Unisource's new Size Is Right(TM) line of trash liners is the first in the industry to tackle the issue of plastic garbage bag waste. The Size is Right line has been designed to match the size of today's waste containers. This reduces the amount of plastic wasted in the common practice of tying off liners to better fit the containers. Unisource estimates the material savings to average 10 percent. More than one billion pounds of plastic went into institutional can liners last year, according to Plastics Technology. A 10 percent savings translates into eliminating 50,000 tons of plastic waste every year. Size Is Right also saves the costs of labor spent in tying off or making other adjustments required to make normal liners fit trash containers.

Both the Respect and the Size is Right lines are part of Unisource's overall commitment to bring together a complete range of Unisource branded products that offers customers sustainable and healthier workplaces. While striving to bring our North American customers the highest value, top performing line of facility supplies available, the company is continuously evaluating products for their ability to improve internal air quality, reduce external pollutants, assure worker safety, and reduce waste and minimize energy usage.

Meeting the standards of such organizations as Green Seal, the US Green Building Council (USGBC), and Cleaning Industry Research Institute among others, has been key selection criteria. The USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification sets stringent national standards for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings based on scientific data.

"Sourcing in compliance with LEED standards provides 50 percent of the requirements needed for LEED certification of an existing building," notes Nancy Geisler, Unisource's Director for the Respect(TM) Program. LEED (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design), the environmental design standard of the US Green Building Council, is the most widely accepted system for ensuring that a building is environmentally sustainable. "With our green solutions, we will help customers achieve LEED designation, which is becoming an increasingly more important factor in assessing a facility's market value."

Respect(TM) Certifications

The products in Unisource's Respect line -- Respect General Purpose Cleaner, Respect Non-Ammoniated Glass Cleaner, Respect Neutral Cleaner and Respect Bowl & Restroom Cleaner -- have earned the Green Seal(R) certification (GS-37) for zero toxicity, skin and eye sensitivity, biodegradability, ozone depletion and indoor air quality, among others. Green Seal's evaluations are based on state-of-the-art science and information using internationally recognized methods and procedures.

About Unisource Worldwide, Inc.

Unisource Worldwide, Inc., (www.unisourcelink.com) is the leading independent marketer and distributor of commercial printing and business imaging papers, packaging systems and facility supplies and equipment in North America. Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Unisource is the 29th largest private company in the United States and offers the most comprehensive suite of products and services in the industry. With about 7,000 employees - including approximately 2,600 sales, customer service and technical support specialists; 75 distribution centers, and a fleet of approximately 1,300 vehicles -- Unisource can deliver what your business needs when and where you want it - locally, regionally and nationally.