Annual Meeting The 2014 ICFPA Annual Meeting will take place in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 10 th . The tentative agenda focuses on ICFPA governance and 2014 activities, forest certification issues and the report on ICFPA cooperation with other organizations such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and The World’s Network of Forest Science (IUFRO). More information will be released soon. ICFPA Policy Statements Updated 2 Membership Value Mobilization 2 The ICFPA Joins PEFC International as Stakeholder Member 3 ICFPA at the WBCSD Meeting in Istanbul 3 Point of View – The Carbon Benefits of Biomass 4 America’s Corner 5 Asia’s Corner 8 Europe’s Corner 9 South Africa’s Corner 12 Calendar 13 Be Prepared! 13 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 ICFPA UPDATE 2013 Issue 11 - December 2013
Transcript
Annual Meeting
The 2014 ICFPA Annual Meeting will take place in
St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 10th. The tentative
agenda focuses on ICFPA governance and 2014 activities,
forest certification issues and the report on ICFPA
cooperation with other organizations such as the World
Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
and The World’s Network of Forest Science (IUFRO).
ICFPA Policy Statements UpdatedThe ICFPA Steering Committee met in Rome in late October . The Committee addressed future CEO Roundtable meetings, forest certification, and cooperation with other organizations, among other issues . Meeting outcomes include the agreement and new policy statements on Carbon Neutrality of Biomass and Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), which are of interest to the global forest-based industry .
ICFPA members agreed that preserving the concept of biomass carbon neutrality is critical to the sustainability and the economic well-being of the global forest and paper industry and to society in general, and plays a central role in reducing global CO2 emissions . ICFPA members also committed to promote the concept of biomass carbon neutrality with international organizations and national governments .
Concerning the SFM statement, the ICFPA supports the development of forest certification systems and other mechanisms to promote SFM and improve forest management on the ground . The statement presents the importance of the extension of SFM certification to all nations, as an assurance that forest products are being produced in a sustainable manner from forests managed according to highest standards .
The group also approved the revisions and updates of its policy statements on Climate Change, Illegal Logging and Sustainable Forest Management Certification .
The new and updated statements are available in full for consultation here: http://www .icfpa .org/resource-centre/statements .
The ICFPA Steering Committee consists of Donna Harman, ICFPA President and American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO; Elizabeth de Carvalhaes, Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association (Bracelpa) CEO and Executive President; Masataka Hayama, Japan Paper Association (JPA) President; David Lindsay, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) President and CEO; Jane Molony, Paper Manufactures of South Africa (PAMSA) Executive Director; Teresa Presas, Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) Director General; and David Rhodes, New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) CEO . The Steering Committee meets twice a year to follow up on ICFPA activities and discuss new opportunities .
Membership Value MobilizationDuring their meeting, the Steering Committee discussed strengthening the ICFPA’s position as a representative of the global forest-based industry with current and potential members . The meeting participants agreed to create an initiative to promote the work the ICFPA does on behalf of the industry, identify potential new members and expand the ICFPA’s reach .
To this end, the Committee approved a document called “ICFPA Membership Value,” which provides information about the ICFPA, the benefits of membership, a list of organizations around the globe it represents, its sustainability leadership and how its biennial report helps to promote the industry’s achievements, challenges and opportunities .
The document, which will be made public in 2014, will also show the benefits of partnerships with large global entities, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) . Furthermore, it will bring forward an opportunity that the ICFPA offers for its members to participate in a unique forum where the industry can discuss issues that drive its future, such as the carbon neutrality of biomass, GMTrees/biotechnologies, illegal logging and sustainable forest management .
The ICFPA Joins PEFC International as Stakeholder Member The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) announced the acceptance of ICFPA as a PEFC International Stakeholder . The announcement was made during the PEFC General Assembly, which took place on November 13th in Malaysia .
Ben Gunneberg, PEFC Secretary General, believes that the entry of the ICFPA will further strengthen the system’s capacity for collaboration and dialogue . “We are looking forward to enhancing opportunities for collaboration in our common effort to promote responsible forestry management,” he said .
As a PEFC International Stakeholder Member, the ICFPA gets to participate in its annual General Assembly as a member of the PEFC Council with full voting rights . Additionally, the ICFPA will join PEFC Working Groups and Committees on relevant topics and collaborate on specific projects of mutual interest .
“As a leader in promoting dialogue on issues of interest to the international forest and paper community, including forest sustainability, standards and management, the ICFPA aims to actively contribute to the further development and strengthening of the relationship between the global forest products industry and PEFC,” said Donna Harman, ICFPA President, and President and CEO of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) .
The PEFC is an international organization dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification . It is an umbrella organization that endorses national forest certification systems developed collaboratively by all interested stakeholders and tailored to local priorities and conditions . Today, the PEFC has recognized certification systems in 30 countries, accounting for more than 240 million hectares of certified forests .
ICFPA at the WBCSD Meeting in Istanbul On November 4th, in Istanbul, leaders from forest-based organizations discussed forest certification at the Forest Solutions Group (FSG) meeting during the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Council Meeting Week .
Teresa Presas from the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), Masataka Hayama from the Japan Paper Association (JPA), and Elizabeth de Carvalhaes from the Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association (Bracelpa) recognized the value of forest certification as a market and voluntary mechanism to improve forest management . Additionally, reducing forest loss and degradation is a global societal priority requiring immediate and concerted action .
To demonstrate the industry’s commitment to forest certification, FSG issued its Leadership Statement on the Value and Future of Forest Certification, which is available here .
The ICFPA members also discussed the World Resource Institute (WRI) and the WBCSD Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-based Products Guide and Resources Kit, which was designed to assist corporate managers to make informed choices when purchasing forest-based products, from paper for printing and packaging to wood for construction and furniture .
Bracelpa suggested discussing the guide with the WRI and WBCSD and customizing it to the Brazilian reality . Keeping in mind the future of certification and the development of new certification systems, CEPI noted that special attention is required regarding the recently approved development of an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard for the Chain of Custody .
The concept of harmonizing standards and reducing costs are highly supported, but the eventual development of a third certification system for forest management raised some concerns among ICFPA and other participants at the FSG meeting . It was unanimously decided among all FSG members that the dialogue about forest certification is extremely relevant and shall continue .
The Carbon Benefits of BiomassForest products manufacturers use biomass from sustainable forestry operations to produce energy, providing significant carbon reducing benefits to the environment .
In order to preserve the concept of biomass, energy carbon neutrality is critical to the sustainability and the economic well being of the global forest and paper industry and society in general, and plays a central role in reducing global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions .
This issue is playing out in many ways across the globe . The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) is at the forefront of the debate, working with national associations and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Forest Solutions Group .
The Carbon CycleThe carbon neutrality of forest biomass is a scientifically supported fact, recognized repeatedly by an abundance of studies, national legislation and international policy, including the guidance of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the reporting protocols of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) .
As forests grow, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere via photosynthesis . This CO2 is converted into organic carbon and stored in woody biomass . Trees release the stored carbon when they die, decay, or are combusted, completing the carbon cycle . The carbon in biomass will return to the atmosphere regardless of whether it is burned for energy, allowed to biodegrade, or lost in a forest fire .
The net impact of these processes is that CO2 flows in and out of forests and through the forest products industry by both biomass combustion and sequestration in products . Overall, the flow of forest CO2 is carbon positive when forests are sustainably managed .
Renewable EnergyRenewable energy in the forest products industry plays an important role in reducing dependence on fossil fuel . By using residuals and byproducts to produce most of the energy required for its operations, paper and wood products manufacturing harnesses the energy value of material that would decay anyway . Since trees absorb CO2 when they grow, the international carbon accounting principle accepts that biomass is carbon neutral when combusted for energy .
However, as governments continue to introduce incentives and mandates to increase the use of renewable energy, concerns have been raised over the potential depletion of forest carbon inventory that may upset the carbon balance .
The ICFPA’s RoleA key purpose of the ICFPA is to represent the global forest and paper industry in international organizations, where members agreed to promote the concept of biomass carbon neutrality . Furthermore, members agreed to promote the same concept with their respective national governments .
The ICFPA also develops common positions on issues of mutual interest to its members . The ICFPA’s statement on the carbon neutrality of biomass can be found online at http://www .icfpa .org/resource-centre/statements .
Donna Harman is the President of ICFPA and President and CEO of The American Forest & Paper Association
Awareness Raising Campaign for Tax-exempt Paper The Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association (Bracelpa), the Association of Manufacturers and Agents for Equipment and Supplies for the Printing Industry (AFEIGRAF), and the National Association of Paper Distributors (ANDIPA) launched the “Individual Pledge of Voluntary Commitment to Transparency and Regular Transactions with Tax-exempt Paper .”
The document provides a series of measures and a proactive behavior to avoid that tax-exempt paper—that is used exclusively for the printing of books, newspapers and magazines—be diverted for other purposes . The tax-exempt difference has encouraged some market agents to promote illegal actions of unlawful use of tax-exempt paper . Through the crime of misrepresentation, these agents declare tax exemption on papers that, in fact, are used for commercial purposes, therefore illegally evading taxes .
To publicize the initiative, the entities launched the site www .papelimune .org .br, with Portuguese and English versions, on which the list of companies who signed the document is published . It also brings information on how to adhere to the initiative .
These are the first initiatives of the awareness raising campaign, involving the companies associated with the above mentioned entities against the improper use of tax-exempt paper .
New Forest-based Industry Association AnnouncedBracelpa announced the creation of a new association that, as of February 2014, will bring together approximately 60 companies represented by Bracelpa, the Brazilian Association of the Wood Panels Industry (Abipa) and the Brazilian Association of Forest Plantation Producers (ABRAF) . Focused on institutional and political strategies, the aim of the new association is to provide more value and competitiveness for the 7 .0 million hectares of Brazilian planted forests and its products, energy forests, pulp and paper, and the Timber Investment Management Organizations (TIMOs) .
Brazil at the WBCSD Executive CommitteeDuring the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Council Meeting Week last November in Turkey, José Luciano Penido, Fibria’s Chairman of the Board of Directors and WBCSD Forest Solution Group (FSG) Co-Chairman, was elected as a member of the Council Executive Committee . The nomination is a result of his
exemplary performance and great commitment on issues of sustainability in the pulp and paper industry, which improved the activities of the FSG . Paul Polman, Unilever CEO, was announced as the new Executive Committee President .
Brazil – Brazilian Pulp and Paper Association – Bracelpa
International Debate on Forest Plantations On November 15th, Bracelpa coordinated an international discussion on the importance of forest plantations as a side event of the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Forest Certification Week 2013 in Malaysia .
The debate was moderated by Ben Gunneberg, PEFC Secretary General . Michel May from FuturaGene presented perspectives of innovation and technology in the field of genetic engineering and forestry biotechnology and Joseph Lawson from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) addressed the perspective of a multistakeholder forum and the engagement and commitment of private companies with sustainability questions . Elizabeth de Carvalhaes, Bracelpa’s CEO and Executive President, presented the perspectives and trends on forest plantations in Brazil and worldwide .
Community RelationsBR Pulp & Paper News Issue 9 highlights the new model of relationship with the communities surrounding the areas where Brazilian pulp and paper companies conduct their business . The publication addresses the social value of planted forests, showing how changes
in these relationships, which evolved from conflictive relations to partnerships that reflect the stakeholders’ engagement, are bringing benefits to all involved . This issue also presents some of the success stories achieved through the initiatives carried out by pulp and paper companies .
Canada – Forests Products Association of Canada - FPAC
Canada Pens Historic Trade Agreement with Europe
On October 18th, Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso announced an “agreement in principle” to conclude the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) .
The agreement is one of the biggest and most ambitious trade agreements that Canada has ever reached, covering most aspects of the Canada-EU bilateral economic relationship, including trade in goods and services, investment and government procurement .
The FPAC is supportive of the deal, wich will see—uppon implementation—the immediate elimination of tariffs of up to 10% . Of wood-based panels, including plywood, prefabricated wooden buildings, particle board and oriented strand board . The agreement also includes a commitment from the European Union to enhance bilateral cooperation and information exchange on issues related to forestry, including sustainable procurement .
United States – American Forest & Paper Association – AF&PA
Biomass Study Shows Carbon Neutrality of Manufacturing ResidualsA new study of the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) finds substantial greenhouse gas reduction benefits from the use of manufacturing residuals for energy in the forest products industry . The study shows that if the benefits of fossil fuel displacement are taken into account,
the use of manufacturing residuals for energy avoids the emission of approximately 218 million metric tons of CO2e—the overall effect of greenhouse gases and their warming potential—that would result from land filling or incinerating the residuals . This is equivalent to removing over 40 million cars from the roads .
Even if the benefits of fossil fuel displacement are set aside, the gains of using manufacturing residuals for energy rather than disposing of them are quite large – about 53 million metric tons of CO2e avoided annually, the equivalent of removing about 10 million cars from the road .
The study focused on woody mill residuals such as bark and sawdust, wastewater treatment plant residuals, paper recycling residuals (e .g ., OCC rejects), as well as black liquor based on an earlier NCASI study .
The NCASI Technical Bulletin No . 1016, “Greenhouse Gas and Fossil Fuel Reduction Benefits of Using Biomass Manufacturing Residuals for Energy Production in Forest Products Manufacturing Facilities”, can be found here .
ENGO Issues Illegal Logging ReportThe Environmental Investigation Agency (IEA) released its investigative report, “Liquidating the Forests: Hardwood Flooring, Organized Crime, and the World’s Last Siberian Tigers” . The report makes allegations about illegal logging activities in the hardwood lumber supply chain of a U .S . firm called Lumber Liquidators, Inc ., which is based in the state of Virginia . In September, federal agents raided facilities of Lumber Liquidators for suspected violation of the Lacey Act .
The Act’s 2008 amendments require importers to take prudential measures to exclude illegally harvested wood from their supply chain and to file a declaration that identifies the genus/species of the wood and the country of harvest . To date, the import declaration requirement only applies to solid wood products and has not been phased in for imports of composite wood products or for pulp and paper .
Action Against False MessagingIn response to AF&PA concerns, Starbucks confirmed they are taking corrective action to remove false and misleading statements observed on plaques on hand dryers in several store washrooms . The plaques read “One Ton of Paper Towels – consumes 17 trees and pollutes 20 thousand gallons of water .”
Starbucks’ environmental leaders reassured AF&PA that the plaques were not authorized and do not reflect the Starbucks environmental commitment . The plaques will be replaced where they are found, and Starbucks is addressing the issue with their supplier .
AF&PA also contacted the hand dryer distributor – who agreed to eliminate a “green message” option for future sales of hand dryers . AF&PA will contact the hand dryer manufacturer and those using the plaques in the marketplace, seeking their removal .
AF&PA Provides Guidance on Paper ShreddingAF&PA released a “Think Before You Shred!” poster providing guidance for consumers to determine which paper documents should be shredded and which ones should be recycled . The poster is another resource developed by AF&PA to help people better understand the importance of recycling . It is available on www .paperrecycles .org/shreddeddocuments and can be used by a wide variety of audiences: businesses, government institutions, families, and individuals .
China Paper WeekCPA hosted China Paper Week 2013, November 20th-23rd, in the city of Hefei, Anhui . The four-day agenda included an international paper and equipment exhibition, the China Paper Trade Fair, and a series of symposiums discussing the latest trends in the country’s paper business and technology reform .
Leaders from paper mills, pulp producers and traders were invited to join the discussion on establishing a stable, but efficient pulp market in China during a summit discussion called “A look at China pulp market from a global perspective .”
Zhao Wei, CPA Vice-president and Secretary General, presented the 2013 Chinese paper industry production and marketing situation and provided an outlook for the coming year .
New PublicationCPA issued the “Guideline for Collecting, Sorting and Trading Domestic Scrap Paper,” in May . Targeted at recyclers, the content of the document includes sorting methods, techniques required for sorting, packaging and transport . It aims to regulate the collection, sorting, transport and trade of domestic scrap paper . The guideline, in Chinese, can be found here .
Japan – Japan Paper Association - JPA
Higher Climate Performance for 2008-2012In September, JPA published the final report on the follow-up survey of its “Committed Action Plan on Global Warming,” which sets the target to reduce—on a five-year average basis, from fiscal year 2008 to fiscal year 2012—fossil energy consumption per unit and fossil energy derived from CO2 emission intensity by 20% and 16% respectively, compared to the level of fiscal year 1990 .
According to the report, the Japanese pulp and paper industry achieved better-than-targeted performances by reducing specific fossil energy consumption by 24 .8% and fossil energy derived CO2 emission intensity by 20 .3%, compared to the fiscal year of 1990 based on a five-year average . Additionally, the industry reduced fossil energy derived from CO2 emissions by 24 .4% .
In the “Environmental Action Plan,” published in April 2012, JPA established a new climate target to reduce fossil energy-derived from CO2 emissions by 1 .39 million tons from Business As Usual (BAU) by fiscal year 2020 .
New Brochure for Primary School StudentsJPA has been focusing its communications on increasing children’s interest in the industry’s activities . As a part of its initiatives, the association published a brochure for children in 2003 entitled “Welcome to Paper World!,” to be used in schools, as well as in member mills offering site tours for children .
Since it was published, JPA distributed 1 .3 million copies to schools and mills . The brochure introduces the papermaking process, the importance of paper recycling and sustainable forest management in an understandable way .
JPA will publish a revised brochure containing improved and enhanced content in December . The revised brochure will be distributed to schools and member mills for free .
More than 30 thousand people attended the conference
EU – Confederation of European Paper Industries – CEPI
European Paper Week: Reinventing GrowthThe European pulp and paper industry got together in Brussels from November 26th-28th during the European Paper Week 2013 to discuss sustainability and innovation in the industry under the theme “Reinventing Growth .”
Within that context, CEPI presented its 6th Sustainability Report and the Two Team Project results . The Report highlights the continuous improvements of the industry’s environmental performance . Additionally, its results ratify the exceptional concurrence of sustainability and competitiveness in the European pulp and paper industry .
In relation to the Two Team Project, with the objective of identifying breakthrough technology concepts for the paper industry in its bid to lower CO2 emissions by 2050, eight technologies were announced . The solutions proposed are a combination of new ideas and ideas that work in other industries, but have never been used in the paper and pulp industry before . The results are available here .
The event also covered a large variety of topics related to EU policy . Experts from different fields were able to debate EU-US trade discussions as well as European standards for paper recycling and the benefits of printed media . Additionally, energy issues were discussed and young researchers had the opportunity to present their recent study results to a large audience of industry representatives .
For more information, including presentations and photos from the event, please go to www .cepi .org/epw .
2013 Paper Recycling Awards WinnersThe European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) announced the winners of the fourth “European Paper Recycling Awards” on October 2nd . The ceremony took place at the European Parliament and was hosted by Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) .
First winner in the category Technology Improvement and R&D was Voith Paper GmbH & Co . KG with a new technology called LowEnergyFlotation (LEF) .
The winner of the category Information and Education was the Alcorcón municipality in Spain . Its project improves paper and board collection by distributing paper bins in all schools in the district . The project aims to increase both the amount of paper collected as well as environmental awareness among children .
Three more entries were commended by the jury: International Paper Kwidzyn (Poland) for its entry “Seventh Heaven for Newspapers” (Information and Education category), Lucart Group for “Natural Project: Tissue paper from beverage cartons” and Reculiner bvba for their work on “Sustainable paper release liner recycling” (Technology Improvement and R&D category) .
For more information on the winners and commended entries, go to http://www .paperforrecycling .eu/recycling-awards .
EUROPE’S CORNER
Winner of the Information and Education category, Susan Mozo, with MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy
CEPI presented its 6th sustainability report during the event
CEPI Comments on Draft Report from the European Environmental Paper Network
CEPI has responded to a European Environmental Paper Network (EEPN) consultation, advising the network to revise the report substantially . The document, entitled “Paper Vapour - the climate impact of paper consumption,” gives the impression that paper production has a large climate impact and questions the carbon neutrality of wood fiber . According to CEPI, it has some serious accounting mistakes as well as missing references .
To view the CEPI position paper, click here .
The “Paper Vapour” document can be accessed at: http://environmentalpaper .eu/shrink/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/paper-vapour-discussion-paper-c .pdf .
Europe Recycles 71.7% of Paper and Board Used in 2012The European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) announced an impressive 71 .7% paper recycling rate for Europe . In their annual monitoring report, the ERPC revealed that current paper consumption in Europe dropped by 13% compared to the 1998 level, but the recycled amount of paper is 1 .5 times higher than in 1998 – a remarkable achievement . Since 2000, the ERPC has worked consistently on improving the quantity and quality of paper available for recycling .
The ERPC monitoring report releases extra insights into the wider context of paper recycling, revealing that Europe is the global champion in this field . Furthermore, the ERPC reports that in Europe paper fiber is recycled at an astounding 3 .5 times a year; worldwide the average is 2 .4 times .
The report illustrates additional good news . The number of European countries with a recycling rate below 60% has decreased, whereas there are 13 countries where paper recycling rates exceed 70% . To increase paper recycling especially in Central Europe, several ERPC members are partners in EU funded projects working to improve collection systems in that region .
Commenting on the results of the report, ERPC Secretary Jori Ringman-Beck said: “The European paper value chain devotes huge efforts year after year to simplify paper recycling for citizens and consumers in offices and at home . The figures in the report prove that paper recycling is truly an industry made in Europe . And in line with EU policies it needs to be safeguarded to remain so .”
The monitoring report is available here .
Finland – Finnish Forest Industries Federation - FFIF
Campaigning at SchoolsIn October, about 200 professionals from the Finnish forest industry companies − Metsä Group, Stora Enso and UPM − visited nearly 300 schools around Finland . Representatives of the companies told pupils about the varied work possibilities and the products of the industry .
“According to the studies, young people don’t know much about the forest industry,” says Anne Kettunen, Senior Adviser of Education Policy in the FFIF . “In the coming years, many employees in the forest industry companies will be retiring and new professionals are needed . With this campaign, we are trying to get more young people
Students learn about the industry from representatives of the companies
interested in the field .” The Finnish forest industry employs about 50 thousand people, and the whole forest sector 160 thousand Finns .
Feedback from the schools has been very positive . Pupils have been interested in hearing about the jobs and the new innovations of the industry . “We had no idea in how many ways wood can be used,” one teacher commented .
Italy – Associazione Italiana fra gli Industriali della Carta, Cartoni e Paste per Carta – Assocarta
Io Amo La Carta (I Love Paper)Last January, Two Sides Italy launched the advertising campaign “Naturalmente Io Amo La Carta”, focused on messages regarding the European paper recycling rate (70%) and the increase of European forests (30%) based on United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) figures .
In addition to the environmental messages, advertisers developed some printed communications-specific messaging: 100% Information, 100% Style, 100% Imagination, and so on . Over 600 pages with these advertisements have been published, free of charge, by newspapers, periodicals and specialized press, thanks to the cooperation of the association of publishers − The Italian Federation of Newspapers Publishers (FIEG) and the National Association of Specialized and Periodical Publishing (ANES) .
Through co-branding, also free of charge, with Ambient Media (distribution), Fedrigoni and Press Service (paper supply and printing), 20 thousand postcards showcasing the messages will be distributed in pubs in Rome and Milan .
Finally, as Two Sides, ASSOCARTA attended the Paper Lab during the Festival Della Scienza, Bellezza, based in Genova, from October 24th through November 3rd . A total of 350 students visited the Paper Lab every day, with an average visit duration of 30 minutes .
Spain – Spanish Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers – Aspapel
Spanish Consumers Prefer PaperMarket research company SigmaDos has designed a packet entitled “What consumers say,” which includes a folder and five sheets with consumers’ thoughts on paper and specific paper products, for the Foro de Papel (“Paper Forum”) in Spain .
The idea is to have a tool that shows consumers’ real opinions in an extremely visual and direct way . In contrast to myths and urban legends, it confirms that 91% of people cannot imagine what life would be like without paper and find it more pleasant and approachable than other products and alternative technologies (81%) .
A total of 93% of Spanish people believe that paper and cardboard packaging is more ecological . Of those surveyed, 87% said that paper and digital books can coexist in a sustainable economy . When it comes to buying newspapers and magazines, 77% of those asked said they would continue to buy paper copies .
Spanish consumers are not only keen to keep using existing paper products, but are also willing to use new products such as smart packaging, batteries, cosmetics and medicines based on cellulose (68%) . The survey is available at http://goo .gl/g99M4Q .
South Africa – The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa – PAMSA
Embracing the Positives in PaperThe Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry of South Africa (TAPPSA) held its National Conference and Exhibition in Durban, from October 22nd to 23rd . Covering themes such as innovation and sustainability, the event showcased the industry’s contribution to the South African economy and the environment, emphasizing the positive aspects of paper .
In addition to presenting data that shows how the local pulp and paper sales have contributed 7 .7% to the Manufacturing GDP (excluding roundwood sales), keynote speaker Bruce Strong, CEO of Mpact, stressed that many rural South Africans are directly or indirectly dependent upon the forestry industry for an income .
Another key discussion point was the lack of public knowledge about the unique contribution that the South African pulp and paper industry makes to the environment . The 762 thousand hectares of forestry plantations for pulp and paper production act as atmospheric carbon sinks, locking up millions of tons of CO2 .
Researching Better, Cleaner Ways to Make Paper
In the last three years, PAMSA has recruited and supported 22 students in 21 Masters of Science Level research projects, chosen for their potential to improve process and energy efficiencies within the industry and to reduce both its carbon and environmental footprints . Many of the projects will continue to be further developed and expanded upon with the aim of implementing new techniques and processes into the industry .
During the TAPPSA Conference in October, some of these students had the opportunity to showcase papers covering topics ranging from the “effect of hemicellulose pre-extraction on lignin-carbohydrate complexes” to the “design, construction and commissioning of a fast pyrolysis reactor for the conversion of woody biomass into potentially valuable oils, gases and chars .”
Six poster presentations were also on view, demonstrating the successes of the reduction of fresh water consumption, using advanced mathematical techniques to analyze and optimize complicated mill water circuits . A review of current work using membrane unit operations to purify bleach plant effluent streams—and, from this, recover valuable by-products—is encouraging . It means that this current waste loop could be closed and further reduce the impact of mills on their local environment .
SOUTH AFRICA’S CORNER
Students from PAMSA’s Masters of Science Level Program
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ICFPAUPDATE
2013
CalendarCanadian Paper Week February 3rd to 6th, 2014Montreal, Canadahttp://www.paperweekcanada.ca
World Congress on Agroforestry 2014February 10th to 14th, 2014Delhi, Indiahttp://www.wca2014.org/
RISI European Pulp & Paper Outlook ConferenceMarch 10th to 12th, 2014Prague, Czech Republichttp://events.risiinfo.com/european-conference/
Paper - 2014March 23rd to 25th, 2014New York, USA
Interpack ConferenceMay 8th to 14th, 2014Düsseldorf, Germanyhttp://www.interpack.com/
Pulpaper 2014June 3rd to 5th, 2014Helsinki, Finlandhttp://www.pulpaperevent.com/
Tissue World Americas 2014March 19th to 21st, 2014Florida, USAhttp://www.tissueworld.com/Home_TW14
22nd Committee on Forestry (COFO)Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)June 23rd to 27th, 2014Rome, Italyhttp://www.fao.org/forestry/57758/en/
FSC General AssemblySeptember 7th to 14th, 2014Sevilla, Spainhttps://ic.fsc.org/events.331.412.htm
ICFPA - International Council of Forest and Paper IndustriesThe ICFPA is a worldwide network of forest and paper industry associations that promotes cooperation in areas of common interest to its members and serves as the industry’s advocate at the interna tional level .
