Report Urges Action for Industry to Reduce Climate Change Impact (4-Oct-07)
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Full story: Report Urges Action for Industry to Reduce Climate Change Impact (4-Oct-07)
A report from the Environmental Paper Network titled “The State of the Paper Industry” proposes that the consumption of paper should be minimised and the recycling of paper be maximised in order to reduce the paper industry’s impact on climate change. The industry is the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and it accounts for more than 40% of the world's industrial wood harvest. Asia consumes around 10% of the paper per capita of the USA, and once these markets develop, demand and supply will have to increase. Paper mills are rapidly being built in developing countries and almost no recycling mills are being constructed. Recycled paper requires less than half the energy of virgin stock and produces almost a third of the greenhouse gases.
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Calls to minimize paper consumption, maximise recycled content and source fibre responsibly are all actions required to reduce the paper industry's impact on climate change, a new report suggests.
The proposals come from The State of the Paper Industry, a report issued by the Environmental Paper Network (EPN), a newly formed group of environmental organizations which campaigns for socially and environmentally sustainable changes in the pulp and paper industry.
Greater investment in recycling infrastructure, the need to seek FSC certification and to pay greater attention to supply were all additional recommendations included in the report.
EPN claims this is the first report to comprehensively address fibre sourcing, recycling, consumption and paper production, as well as the industry’s impact on communities and climate change.
The report claims the paper industry accounts for more than 40% of the world’s industrial wood harvest, and is the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among US manufacturing industries.
But it predicted that global consumption of paper and its impact on the environment is set to grow.
China and Asia currently consume around a tenth of the amount of paper per capita as the US, and once these markets develop both demand and supply with have to grow with them.
Even in the US, however, recycling remains low. The report claimed that more than a third of municipal waste is paper, which goes into landfill and produces methane as it rots.
And while developing nations are rapidly building new paper mills, "virtually no" recycling mills are being constructed, it said.
This is especially significant in that the biggest greenhouse gas releases in pulp and paper manufacturing come form the energy production needed to power the pulp and paper mill.
Recycled paper requires less than half the energy of virgin stock and produces almost a third of the greenhouse gases.
Organizations involved in the EPN's committee include Conservatree, As You Sow, Environmental Defense, ForestEthics, Green Press Initiative and the National Wildlife Federation.
- Source: Print Week.com
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