Swedish forest certification system submitted for assessment

“Congress should be applauded for continued recognition of the need to foster U.S. manufacturing growth through federal biomass policy that appropriately reflects the paper and wood product industry’s use of carbon-neutral biomass for energy production. Clear public policy on biomass carbon neutrality will level the playing field to help our manufacturers compete globally and support future economic growth and job creation. That’s a winning combination and action our industry has sought for more than nine years. Moreover, implementation of clear policy will support the use of carbon neutral biomass as a fuel source for our mills, which provides significant greenhouse gas reduction benefits to the environment.”

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) today announced that nearly 68% of paper consumed in the United States (67.9%) was recycled in 2022. The paper recycling rate held approximately steady to the 2021 rate and has remained consistently high. In fact, the paper recycling rate has met or exceeded 63% each year since 2009. In 2022, the recycling rate for old corrugated containers (OCC), also known as cardboard, was 93.6%, an increase over last year's rate. Meanwhile, the 3-year average (2020-2022) for OCC was 91.3%.

UPM Raflatac’s Biofore Site™ concept engages factory employees and fosters a culture of sustainability in line with UPM’s 2030 responsibility targets. For many years, UPM Raflatac factories have operated ISO 14001-compliant, third-party certified environmental management systems to ensure continual environmental performance improvement. The Biofore Site™ concept expands on this foundation by including economic and social aspects. Since the 2017 pilot, each factory has created a unique path to improve its scorecard performance. A multi-parameter Biofore Site scorecard based on UN Sustainable Development Goals is used to monitor each factory’s progress.