HH Joins AIM Progress

“In a world where the demand for timber is going to increase as populations grow, it is very interesting to see that there are ways to allow the Russian economy to develop further, particularly in rural areas, in a way that benefits both biodiversity and local communities,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International, following his participation at the II International Conference of the Russian Pulp & Paper Industry last week. “Forest certification is one of the key tools to allow not only local benefits to be achieved, but also to ensure that there is acceptability for Russian timber in the marketplace,” Ben continued. click Read More below for more of the story

UPM has recently joined the EU’s Clean Hydrogen Alliance and become member of the Roundtable on Clean Hydrogen for industrial users. UPM has also joined the newly established Finnish Hydrogen Cluster. UPM is well-positioned for the hydrogen economy and wants to be proactive in the developments that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Clean hydrogen is emerging as one of the key enablers for the European Union goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. “Clean hydrogen provides several interesting opportunities for UPM. We have an in-house access to renewable and CO2-free electricity, water resources, biogenic CO2 and hands-on experience with hydrogen in our advanced biofuels production in Lappeenranta. Our specific knowhow and resources will enable UPM to develop possible new business opportunities in the emerging hydrogen economy”, states Jyrki Ovaska, Executive Vice President, UPM Technology. Ovaska represents UPM in the EU’s Roundtable on Clean Hydrogen for industrial users.

Plastic use is expected to double in the next 20 years. This growth will stem especially from population growth and higher living standards in China, India and Africa. Meanwhile, in developed markets, per capita plastic usage has levelled off at approximately 80 kg annually. In rapidly developing countries, the corresponding total is currently 10-20 kg. The first step to solving the global plastic waste problem is building a proper recycling infrastructure, affirms Vesa Kärhä, CEO of the Finnish Plastics Industries Federation. There is also a lot of work to be done also in waste management, attitudes, and in the diligent implementation of existing legislation. Despite the absence of efficient recycling systems, plastic is still needed: it plays a critical role serving a rapidly urbanising population in applications such as food packaging and health care. Unnecessary use of plastic should be radically reduced. Recycling solutions, too, need urgent attention. But, in addition, plastic must also be produced more sustainably. One solution is UPM BioVerno naphtha, a renewable plastic raw material made from pulp residue. Click Read More below for additional information.