AF&PA: Leading the Way in Sustainability

From the August 2010 Forest2Mill newsletter.

To demonstrate their dedication to sustainable business practices in the forest and paper products industries, the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) released their 2010 Sustainability Report in June. This report gives an accounting of AF&PA member companies adherence to and progress on the Association’s Sustainable Procurement and Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Principles, which set standards for economic, social and environmental sustainability.

The report highlights the strides made by the Association’s members in forest management and sustainable procurement, recycling, environmental footprint reduction, energy and material conservation, greenhouse gas reduction, and benefits to the communities in which their products are made and sold. Despite the difficult economic period of the last several years, the industry has reached its sustainability goals with results that would surprise many.

The paper industry continues to see an impressive recycling or recover rate of over 63 percent in 2009, which is double the amount recovered in 1990 and already exceeds the Association’s 2012 goal of 60 percent. Pollutants from wood and paper processing plants, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, chlorine and methanol, have all continued a steady decline. With many production facilities employing combined heat and power (CHP) generators using by-products of the manufacturing process, these plants are mostly energy self-sufficient and consume renewable resources; some are even able to furnish excess power to the grid. In 2008, wood products processing facilities make use of biomass fuels for 73.5 percent of their total energy needs.

On an absolute basis, both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions at member pulp and paper and wood products industry facilities decreased. Direct greenhouse gas emissions decreased 36.6 percent since 2000, 4.2 percent since 2006. Indirect green­house gas emissions decreased 4.1 percent since 2000, with a 0.4 percent decrease since 2006. Total direct and indirect emissions from AF&PA member facilities amounted to 64.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents in 2008, a 26.7 percent reduction in emissions from mem­ber facilities compared to 2000. Nearly 40 percent of this reduction resulted from efficiency improvements and reduced fossil fuel use.

To sum up the report’s findings, Donna Harman, President and CEO of the AF&PA, said “ (AF&PA) members have reacted to the (challenging economic conditions of 2008-2009) in proactive ways and continue to build on the strong progress already made to further improve sustainability performance for the future.”