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The Confederation of European Paper Industry (CEPI) and the European Commission DG Environment are launching a consultation for Product Footprint Category Rules (PFCR) for paper and paper products. The paper PFCR is linked to the forthcoming European methodology for the calculation of environmental footprint of products, currently being developed by the Commission services. This is a pilot project testing a new way of adopting PFCR for an industry sector using crowdsourcing and online tools


The PFCR development process will be transparent and open allowing all stakeholders to participate in the process. All interested organizations and experts are invited to register themselves now and start commenting on a consultation paper via the online collaboration platform www.paperpfcr.eu as of Monday, 12 September


A final PFCR for paper should provide clear guidance for paper companies to conduct environmental footprint studies. In addition, it might represent an important reference document for possible future policy actions both at EU and Member States level.


The European Product Footprint Category Rules (EPFCR) for paper will be divided into three sections; after each section there will be an open consultation (crowdsourcing). Stakeholders can comment on the draft PFCR during the crowdsourcing stages and at the stakeholder meeting which will be held in Brussels 14 and 15 November 2011. The comments received through the open consultation are visible for registered participants via the online platform. At the end of the process, in December 2011, an e-vote will be organised in order to measure the level of support of the document among the stakeholders who contributed to its drafting.


The EFPCR development work includes the following stages:
1. Preparatory stage                       July-August 2011
2. PFCR consulting stage:

a. 1st crowdsourcing             12/09 > 02/10/2011
b. 2nd crowdsourcing            10/10 > 30/10/2011
c. 3rd crowdsourcing             09/11 > 30/11/2011


3. E-vote:                                        12/12 > 19/12/2011


Stakeholders that are registered will be reminded of the start for each consultation stage by email.

Role of PFCR
Product Footprint Category Rules (PFCRs) aim at providing detailed technical guidance on how to conduct a product environmental footprint study. PFCR is linked to the forthcoming European methodology for the calculation of environmental footprint, currently being developed by the Commission services.

PFCR complement general methodological guidance for environmental footprint by providing further specification at the product level. PFCR will thus make important contributions to increased reproducibility and consistency in product environmental footprint studies. As defined in ISO 14025(2006), PCRs (Product Category Rules) include sets of specific rules, guidelines and requirements that are aimed at developing “Type III environmental declarations” for any product category. “Type III environmental declarations” are quantitative, LCA-based claims of the environmental aspects of a certain good or service.

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Tuesday, 06 September 2011 11:32

A sustainable bio-economy needs the forest sector

In recognition of the International Year of Forests 2011, MEPs Riikka Manner, Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos and Gaston Franco are hosting the exhibition and workshop "Forest Sector's Contribution to the EU Bio-economy" at the European Parliament, 6-9 September 2011.The aim is to highlight the vital role that Europe’s forests and forest products play in contributing to the overall 2020 objective of the European Union of achieving a sustainable bio-economy.

From responsible resource stewardship and supply of solid wood products, from packaging to ground-breaking materials, like food additives and hi-tech chemicals, via innovative wood architecture construction and bio-energy, the European forest sector’s contribution to the bioeconomy is far-reaching.

“Not only does it use a renewable raw material extracted from an ecosystem that grows both in area and in volume, but it also delivers many non-wood goods and services that contribute to a better planet and to a better society. Promoting wood in construction is undoubtedly a way of fostering sustainable growth provided that the material stems from forests managed sustainably. Wood has an important role to play in the energy and green growth challenge” Ms Manner said.

The week of events held in the European Parliament will showcase the most remarkable values, goods and services that forests and related sectors deliver to society.

“At a time when greenhouse gas mitigation and a shift to new sources of energy are top priorities, forests have an essential role that must be better recognised by European policy makers” according to Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos.

Forestry is an important motor for rural development, creating jobs for about 3.5 million people, providing income and contributing to strengthen the less developed regions in Europe.

European forests are also crucial in maintaining and offering other environmental benefits to Europe’s citizens. “Pure water, rich biodiversity, prevention of erosion and carbon absorption are just some of the multiple environmental benefits that sustainably managed forests are delivering today and will continue to deliver in the future. A balance needs to be found between these benefits and the other economic and social functions of forests. Mr Gaston Franco added.

Riikka Manner continued: “The International Year of Forests shouldn’t be seen as an achievement in itself but rather as a step towards a better and more concrete recognition of all the benefits that forests can provide in a well thought-out policy context”.

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2011-08-24_101336This ERPC (European Recovered Paper Council) document provides an assessment of the removability of adhesive applications of a printed paper product as one aspect of its recyclability. The assessment scheme deals with the fragmentation of adhesive applications and their removability through a laboratory screening process. It is applicable to all kinds of printed paper products containing any adhesive applications and serves as an evaluation for potential sticky problems at the paper machine and quality defects in the produced paper or board.

The sufficient removal of adhesive applications is one of the challenges for the paper manufacturers using recovered paper. In the recovered paper treatment process, adhesive applications disintegrate during pulping to “stickies”. Stickies is a broad term for all tacky components in recovered paper pulp.

Depending on their size and their behaviour they are called macrostickies, microstickies or potential secondary stickies. Mechanical screening with slotted screens is the most efficient tool for sticky removal. High removal efficiency can only be achieved if adhesive applications disintegrate into particles of large size. The smaller the particles are, the lower their removal efficiency is. In addition, they can re-agglomerate later in the papermaking process and thus form secondary stickies which lead to major problems in paper production and/or converting processes.

In this regard, the removability depends not only on the composition of the adhesive but also on the type of application, such as the shape of the application and the thickness of the layer. The larger and thicker the layer of a given adhesive, the less disintegration into small particles occurs.

All these characteristics have been taken into account in the resulting ‘Scorecard for the Removability of Adhesive Applications’ available on the ERPC website.

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European Paper Recycling in 2010 at 68.9%

 

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The European paper recycling rate reached an impressive 68.9% as announced today by the ERPC (European Recovered Paper Council) in their final monitoring report. The report shows that since 2004 the recycling rate has increased by 10% points due in part to the excellent work of the ERPC.

 

The 2010 European paper recycling rate of 68.9% is higher than the target set by the European paper industry for the ERPC commitment period of the 2nd European Paper Recycling Declaration 2006-2010. The council is proud to report on impressive work completed, following the pledge it first made in 2000 to increase paper recycling in Europe. In the mean time, a new ambitious commitment for 2011-2015 is being prepared, keeping the industry on its path to meet ambitious targets of recycling paper at a steadily increasing rate in Europe.

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For the commitment period of 2006 to 2010, PricewaterhouseCoopers has independently verified the calculation of the recycling rate using the International Standard on assurance Engagements ISAE 3000.

 

In addition to the quantitative progress, a lot of qualitative work was done to establish an eco-design towards improved recyclability and in the area of waste prevention. The past five years gave the ERPC an opportunity to learn how to work better together, growing stronger as a value chain.

 

The results include pioneering work to give recycling a solid and scientific support, such as the adoption of the deinkability scorecard. The efforts of the ERPC also complement EU policy, for instance the new Waste Directive adopted in 2008.

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cepi_1Forest products industry CEOs from around the world see an important opportunity ahead as a more competitive and significantly transformed industry emerges from the recent global economic downturn. This assessment came at the conclusion of International Council of Forest and Paper Associations’ (ICFPA) 5th Global CEO Roundtable, a meeting of industry leaders from around the world which took place today in Montreal, Canada.


“Coming out of today’s discussion there is a clear consensus that industry leaders are seeing positive signs that the forest products industry is emerging from the economic downturn and remains committed to improving its productivity, sustainability and innovation,” said Roundtable Co-Chair, Brad Thorlakson, President and CEO, Tolko Industries (Canada). “CEOs from around the world cited significant productivity improvements the industry undertook during the global recession, increased globalization of trade, emergence of new markets and greatly improved environmental performance as key factors that have led to a return to strength of the industry’s core product lines of pulp, paper and lumber.”


CEO’s noted recent market trends including increases in the interdependence of global supply chains and the growing levels of government intervention in the industry and economies more broadly. Accordingly, industry leaders underlined the importance of free trade and less government intervention as being essential to the growth of jobs in the sector.


“Building on the industry’s leaner structure and cost containment measures, industry leaders pointed to the significant bio-economy opportunity that will help accelerate the industry’s recovery.” added Berry Wiersum, President and CEO, SAPPI Paper Europe and Roundtable Co-Chair. “With productive government policy frameworks, strategic industry investments and partners, the forest products industry will be able to integrate emerging bio-economy opportunities with the traditional lines of pulp, paper and lumber products and move aggressively into the bio-product/bio-energy economy where jobs and environmental performance intersect.”


The global forest products industry contributes more than US$ 470 billion annually to global GDP and employs over 14 million people in almost every country in the world.


The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations’ (ICFPA) membership includes the trade associations of 43 countries. Members represent industries accounting for more than 90 percent of the world’s paper and more than 50 percent of the world’s wood production. The ICFPA is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to working with other stakeholders to ensure that environmental, social and economic benefits of our natural resources are available to current and future generations. ICFPA Members are committed to legal, certified forestry and procurement practices.

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On the 4th May 2011 at the European Parliament, the International Confederation of paper and board Converters in Europe (CITPA) and the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) ,presented the voluntary ‘Industry Guideline for the Compliance of Paper & Board Materials and Articles for Food Contact’.

 

The event was hosted by MEP Ms. Pilar Ayuso (EPP-DE), member of the Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee who said it was important to know what the industry has done in the field of food safety.

 

The Guideline, which has been peer reviewed by PIRA International, refers to those aspects of quality assurance which are of most significance to ensure that paper and board meets the quality standards appropriate to their intended use in food contact. “Safety of food is a pre-eminent concern, the paper and board manufacturing and converting sector recognises this concern and gives top priority to the safety of the materials and articles it manufactures and supplies” said John Swift, Chair of the Cross Industry Group responsible for the drafting of the Industry Guideline. He added that “for the first time, all the components needed to facilitate compliance with EU legislation were included in one text”.

 

A challenge in demonstrating the commitment to supplying safe products is to demonstrate compliance with relevant legislation. The sector has cooperated at National Government and EU level for many years, and the Industry Guideline proposes a route for compliance with EC regulation 1935/2004, which covers all materials which come in direct contact with food.

 

The lack of a specific measure for paper and board has created a disadvantage in the market because paper and board materials appear to be “unregulated”. So, “if the European Commission decides to start drafting a specific measure for paper and board materials, we have the ground prepared to do so” said Mr. Bengt Nordin, CITPA President, in his closing remarks. Mr Nordin also presented the benefits of the Industry and pointed out the challenge of demonstrating the safety of paper and board. Mr Nordin said to be proud to announce that “the industry is monitoring the implementation of the Industry Guideline and so far, the results have shown a large acceptance within paper and board companies”.

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Member States over-confidently assume reaching 2020 targets thanks to bio-energy


Preliminary analysis of the National Renewable Energy Action Plans shows that Member States count on wood to cover a high proportion of their 2020 Renewable Energy Targets. But are the plans realistic? Will they actually be implemented?

 

In a detailed analysis of the national plans, CEPI found out that the bio-energy chapters of some of them were based on flawed conversion factors and measurement units, hence suggesting that the national renewable energy targets would be achievable by 2020.

 

According to the plans, given that one third of the total production of energy from renewable sources will be based on forest biomass, 333 million m³ of wood extracted from European forests will be necessary - more than twice the annual wood use of the entire European pulp and paper industry.

 

“The European Union now has the responsibility of verifying the submitted plans and making sure that they are realistically feasible. Or else the Member States should be requested to amend them”, says Bernard de Galembert, CEPI’s Forest Director.

 

He adds: “The European Commission will also have to monitor the implementation of the plans and its conformance to the national trajectories towards the 2020 targets, as well as the practical measures the Member States have to put in place.”

 

The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) is of the opinion that increasing demand for solid biomass for energy purposes cannot be met only by European forestry alone but requires the production of solid biomass on agricultural land by planting new perennial non-food crops. In that context, the starting review of the CAP in connection with the new EU budget perspective offers an opportunity to promote and support both the boosting of new potentials and a better mobilisation of feedstocks. The recently adopted Roadmap for moving to a low-carbon economy by 2050 confirms the role of the future CAP in addressing the increased bio-energy contribution of agriculture and forestry[1].

 

It is clear as well that several Member States will rely on imports, including from non-EU countries, to achieve their renewable energy targets. Imported feedstocks for energy should match the level of sustainability of domestically sourced ones. Harmonised and binding sustainability criteria for solid biomass based on credible and recognised processes such as Forest Europe[2] are, therefore, needed along with strong implementation guidelines and forceful monitoring if reaching 2020 targets is to be coherent with the Commission’s flagship initiatives for sustainable and inclusive growth.

 



[1] COM(2011) 112 final, 8 March 2011

[2] Forest Europe is a pan-European Ministerial process that defines sustainable forest management and its principles and criteria, www.foresteurope.org

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Following the severe economic downturn experienced in late 2008 and throughout 2009 the industry had a much more positive 2010, although overall volumes remain some way below pre-crisis levels.


Indications are that CEPI member countries produced more than 96 million tonnes of paper and board in 2010, representing a rise in the region of around 8% over 2009.


The paper industry did slightly better than the European manufacturing industry taken as a whole. All grades are expected to show higher annual production levels in comparison to 2009. It is estimated that the production of pulp has increased by between 8.5% and 9%, after a decline of 13.5% the previous year, with total output of approximately 38 million tonnes.


It appears that the overall consumption of paper and board in CEPI countries in 2010 will increase by between 5% and 6% when compared to 2009, based on the latest data from the third quarter.

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Wednesday, 02 February 2011 16:27

Focus on industrial raw materials must be kept clear

The European Paper Industry welcomes the Commission’s communication on raw materials, adopted today. Concrete actions are needed to address the increasingly critical supply of raw materials to European Industries. This includes the raw materials of the European Paper Industry: The push for renewable energies calls for a biomass supply policy across Europe, taking the use of wood as raw material as a priority. The massive exports of recovered paper collected in Europe to east Asian markets is a second reason why raw material policy is needed. The Commission communication rightfully addresses both issues.

 

However, CEPI points out that EU has to keep a clear focus while addressing intrinsically different markets of raw materials, energy and agricultural commodities

 

The European pulp and paper industry’s raw material base is in Europe. Because of their renewable nature they are much sought-after. A strategy for the sustainable supply of wood and biomass is therefore needed, including concrete measures for raw materials mobilisation from European primary and secondary sources. The promotion of the resource hierarchy principle, whereby raw materials are used first to deliver added value in products, would bring consistency in EU policies

 

“Facilitating access to raw materials that end up in subsidy-based, unsustainable business models does not make sense” said Teresa Presas, CEPI’s Managing Director. “Instead, the priority access should be for industries that use the resources efficiently and contribute to the EU 2020 competitiveness and climate change goals.”

 

The European Paper Industry has already achieved a record-high recycling rate with more than 70% in 2009. It is seeking for even higher levels, but to do so, policy support is needed. Therefore CEPI applauds the proposed actions to better implement and enforce existing waste legislation, in particular waste shipment controls and separate collection by 2015.

 

Highlighting the importance of looking at full value chains and full life-cycles, Teresa Presas said: “The European Industry must be put in a position to use the collected secondary materials, otherwise we spend money to see them exported to countries where the environmental standards are far from being met. Certifying recycling facilities for sound environmental management is an approach CEPI is happy to support”.

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At the last Forest-Based Sector Technology Platform (FTP) High Level Group meeting in Stockholm on 2 December 2010, Mr Magnus Hall, CEO of Holmen, stepped down as FTP High Level Group Chairman, a position he had held for more than 3 years.

Under his leadership, the operations of FTP evolved from being a simple initiative to becoming a limited company under Belgium law. Mr Hall played a key part in enhancing the interest and participation of forest-based companies in the work of FTP.

Michal Jarczynski, currently CEO of Arctic Paper, succeeds Mr Hall in the position of FTP HLG Chairman. He has formally taken over his responsibilities and has expressed his enthusiasm in developing and enhancing FTP further.

Mr Jarczynski has been with the Arctic Paper Group for 10+ years. Initially appointed as Deputy CFO, then he became CFO and in 2003 CEO of the Kostrzyn mill. He is CEO of the Company since its inception in 2008. He has profound knowledge of the paper sector, close relationships with customers, and many years of experience in paper mill management and the industry. He holds an M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Poznań University of Technology (1992). He also completed post-graduate studies at the Poznań University of Economics (2000).

For more information, please contact
FTP Director Dr. Andreas Kleinschmit von Lengefeld,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +32 (0)2 239 23 01

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