Domtar is taking the lead in educating the next generation of paper industry professionals about our supply chain, paper production, sustainably forestry initiatives and more. Our mill in Kingsport, Tennessee, recently hosted a networking and educational event for sales and marketing professionals from several of our merchant partners. The participants, who are relatively new to the paper industry, came away from the event with a better understanding of how we source trees, make paper and follow sustainable practices. The event included industry and company overviews, a tour of the Kingsport Mill, a meeting with mill leaders, a visit to the Ridgefields converting facility and presentations from various Domtar professionals, including those in sustainability and marketing. Click read more below for additional detail.

Klabin’s Puma unit in Ortigueira, Paraná was awarded ISO 50001 certification, making it the first plant in the country’s pulp and paper industry to follow the best practices required by said certification. This recognition attests to the unit's efforts to improve its energy performance and efficiency just little more than two years after its start-up. “The certification, which was obtained after a series of audits, reinforces Klabin’s commitment to sustainable development and recognizes the engagement and dedication of all professionals involved in the topic, whether employees, contractors or suppliers," said Sadi Oliveira, Industrial Pulp Officer at Klabin. “We’re very pleased with the certification, which represents yet another achievement.” Click read more below for additional detail.

The holiday season is fun, festive and a time meant for giving. It’s joyous to decorate and make gifts look fancy, but the added touches for allure can cause confusion on what to recycle once the fun has ended. Our homes are filled with cards from family and friends, cardboard boxes from shopping online to find the right gift and wrapping materials to ensure the surprise is spectacular. But which of these are recyclable? Here are some tips to help you make the right decision on whether to put these common holiday items in the recycling or the trash bin. Remember: when it doubt, throw it out. “Wishcycling”—the act of putting something in your recycling bin in the hope that someone, somewhere will figure out what to do with it along the way—actually impedes the recycling process. Click read more below for additional detail.

Set-up by APRIL Group, a leading producer of fiber, pulp and paper, RER is managed under 60-year ecosystem restoration licenses issued by the government of Indonesia. A key element of the program is the use of an integrated production protection ring landscape model, where plantation operations on the perimeter of the restoration area not only provide protection from fire and encroachment, but also support ecosystem restoration and forest protection. The RER program has achieved some extraordinary results since work began, including the documenting of the presence of hundreds of species of fauna and flora and the total absence of fire from the concessions. As of June 2018, there are now 757 recorded plants and animal species resident in the RER area, ranging from birds, reptiles to diversify trees and plants. Click read more below for additional detail.

“Costco’s private-label brand encompasses a diverse portfolio of product categories. By joining How2Recycle, Costco is empowering their members to properly prepare a wide array of packaging types and materials for recycling. Costco is well poised to help recover large quantities of material by featuring consistent, accurate recycling messaging on package,” said Caroline Cox, How2Recycle project associate. Costco will be rolling out the label on a variety of packages including Kirkland Signature Organic Raw Kombucha Ginger Lemonade, Baby Wipes and Facial Wipes. Click read more below for additional detail.

The American Forest & Paper Association recently recognized our Hawesville Mill in Kentucky for its water conservation efforts with a 2018 Leadership in Sustainability Award. Hawesville water conservation efforts will save nearly 3.2 million gallons of water per day. Hawesville Mill applied continuous improvement principles to make small, relatively inexpensive upgrades, repairs and process changes that not only save money but, more importantly, also conserve vital water resources for our operations and the ecosystem around our facility. Click read more below for additional detail.

Gabon’s aspiration to become a world leader in certified tropical wood has taken a big step towards realization, following a special certification forum organized by the Ministry of Water and Forests in late November. Responding to the recent declaration by President Ali Bongo Ondimba that all Gabon’s forest concessions are to be certified by 2022, the forum was organized to develop concrete steps in order to reach this target. The most significant move was the recommendation from stakeholders to the government that all forest concessions within the country should be able to prove the legality of their wood by 2022. Furthermore, all concessions should be moving towards certification, such as PAFC (PEFC members in central Africa) by 2024. Click read more below for additional detail.

American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers announcement of a new proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. “We are pleased to see action being taken on an issue that has stymied past administrations. Stakeholders, including forest products manufacturers and state and local governments, deserve the clarity and certainty that this rule provides as they work to ensure our nation’s waters are clean. As one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the nation with a successful record of implementing sustainable manufacturing principles, we consider that a ‘win-win’ for the environment and economic growth and job creation.”

After significant consultation with key stakeholders, Canada’s Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry released a report entitled: “Feast or Famine: Impacts of climate change and carbon pricing on agriculture, agri-food and forestry.” Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) was very pleased to participate in this important dialogue, which culminated in the publication of today’s report. The Senate findings included a list of 16 recommendations, many of which underscore the importance of the Canada’s forests and the forest products sector in addressing the climate change challenge. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM increases the IFRS fair value of its forest assets in Finland, mainly due to higher forest growth estimates. In addition, the company adjusts its long-term wood price estimates slightly. The impact of these changes on the fair value of forest assets is approximately EUR 320 million and will be reported as an item affecting comparability in Q4 2018 under Other operations. The updated forest growth model indicates higher forest growth volumes that are explained mainly by sustainable forest management. "UPM's own forests are strategic source for UPM's wood supply. Active, timely and sustainable forest management combined with high quality seedling material have increased UPM's own forests' growth significantly over the years. Increasing forest growth and carbon sequestration enable higher sustainable harvesting volumes from UPM's own forests now and in the future," says Sauli Brander, Senior Vice President, Wood Sourcing and Forestry Northern Europe. Click read more below for additional detail.

UPM Raflatac is pleased to announce its RafCycle® recycling solution has expanded to the United States and Canada. Now, brands in this region can give new life to their self-adhesive label waste that would otherwise be landfilled. Converter and printer Fort Dearborn Company as well as several brand owners are participating in the launch. UPM Raflatac collects the paper and PET liner waste from its RafCycle partners and recycles it into new materials, which provides numerous benefits to printers, packers, brand-owners, and, of course, the environment. Turning waste into a resource is a key concept in the circular economy and an important part of UPM Raflatac's approach to labeling a smarter future beyond fossils. Collaboration across the value chain is important to making the RafCycle program successful in delivering more sustainable packaging solutions. Click read more below for additional detail.

European institutions have agreed on the Renewable Energy Directive REDII for the 2020s after the European Council adopted the agreement made earlier this summer. UPM welcomes the agreement that will increase the use of renewable energy to 32% in 2030 and requires 14% bioenergy to be used in transport. All the EU member states are obliged to implement a binding advanced biofuel blending mandate starting 2022. UPM Biofuels is one of the front-runners in the advanced biofuels industry. The UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery, the world's first to produce wood-based renewable diesel and naphtha on a commercial scale, has proven the potential as a significant producer of truly sustainable advanced biofuels. UPM BioVerno, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% compared with fossil fuels, has found a solid marketplace. Click read more below for additional detail.

There was a long period when having a live Christmas tree was a big no-no, for reasons I can no longer remember. First, folks got upset about people buying trees instead of cutting their own. Then there was the controversy about people getting their own instead of cutting one. Actually, I think it had more to do with the disposal of the tree than anything else. There are a staggering 25 million to 30 million trees purchased every year in the U.S. Burning them in the chimney creates creosote problems. Landfill space is scarce and expensive. A live tree can stay in the house for about four weeks at most, then spend the next four centuries in the landfill. This is not a sustainable practice when you consider the number of trees involved. Click read more below for additional detail.

Kimberly-Clark, along with its partners from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), were honored by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) with a 2018 Leadership Award for Kimberly-Clark and WWF's "Heart Your Planet" collaboration. The program was unanimously selected for the Uncommon Partnership award for its success in engaging consumers to look for the WWF Panda logo and FSC® label on product packaging to support responsible forest management. "Kimberly-Clark continues to lead the U.S. tissue industry as a producer and influencer in promoting the importance of making more responsible products that use FSC®-certified fiber," said Jay Gottleib, president of Kimberly-Clark's North American Family Care business. "We are proud to have the WWF Panda logo and FSC® label printed on our packaging. This shows our support for these organizations, and demonstrates to our consumers that by using their favorite paper towel, facial and bath tissue, they are helping protect our forests." Click read more below for additional detail.

COP24 starts today, and once again, climate change is in the global spotlight. At PEFC, we have spent nearly 20 years helping to mitigate climate change through the promotion of sustainable forest management. With the inclusion of trees outside forests, we are now further enhancing our positive impact. We know that healthy, well-managed forests help combat climate change. By capturing and storing carbon, forests remove significant volumes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through certification, we demonstrate their responsible management and enhance the value to these forests, ensuring they remain forests and continue to carry out their vital climate change mitigation actions. Click read more below for additional detail.