At The United Nations will suspend the supply of paper napkin in the toilets of its seat, a measure which should generate annual savings of approximately 100 thousand US dollars —, according to the most recent statement on the financial difficulties encountered by the organization.
“As part of UN Headquarters’ ongoing efforts to reduce operational costs and improve the environmental sustainability of facilities operations,” paper towels will no longer be provided in the sprawling 42-story Secretariat Building, according to an email from the building’s facilities team, which recommends the use of one or more high-speed electric hand dryers in each bathroom.
“We need our core functions to continue. And as we have suffered from a lack of reliable funding from member states for many years, we need to respond in different ways,” UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Wednesday in response to a question about the announcement.
The maintenance team cites cost reduction, sustainability, cleanliness, safety and reduced maintenance as factors for the decision. Electric hand dryers have one-third the carbon footprint of recycled paper towels, and their improper disposal in toilets causes blockages in buildings, leading to costly and time-consuming repairs and unsanitary conditions, as noted in the email.
While it may seem trivial, the move once again demonstrates the urgency for the UN to cut costs as its Secretary-General, António Guterres, cuts budgets and staff, and member states, including the organization’s main sponsor, the United States, fail to deliver on their promises. The United States normally funds 22 percent of the U.N. regular budget, but has yet to pay the more than $800 million it owes this year, on top of some arrears from previous years.
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