The way is being cleared for more Indonesian paper to find its way to the UK as both major producers from the country act to clear barriers that has impeded uptake.
Asia Pulp & Paper is leading the way, earning PEFC approval for ever increasing areas of forest plantation. More than 300,000 hectares are currently covered by the Indonesian Forestry Certification Cooperation certificates which are recognised by PEFC, with a further 1m hectares expected receive certificates in the coming weeks.
The certification will affect APP’s Extra Print, an uncoated woodfree offset grade which is the company’s most popular product in the UK. It is already a PEFC certified product, but thanks to imports of pulp from elsewhere. In future APP will be able to use its own fibre sources confident that they will carry the PEFC endorsement.
The move is part of APP’s conversion to become a world leader in forest management and sustainability. As part of the Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2020 strategy, it aims to have all pulpwood suppliers accredited to a sustainable forest management scheme by 2020. This step suggests that this will be achieved ahead of that timetable. However, it will take time and further plantation certification before the Indonesian pulp is found in all sheets of Extra Print.
Aida Greenbury, APP managing director sustainability, says: “This is the third year of the implementation of our zero deforestation commitment. In combination with this commitment, this certification means buyers from APP can be assured that not only are APP’s products of high quality, but that they are certified, traceable and support sustainable forest management across Indonesia.”
This policy has had impacts on rival pulp and paper producer April Group. It has announced that it has ceased all clearing of natural forest and pledged that there will be no further development on forested land, that it will undertake high carbon stock assessments alongside high conservation value forest assessments; that conservation areas under its control will match the 780,000 hectares of plantation it controls; a peatland management group will monitor carbon footprints; there will be stronger links to NGOs and stronger social programmes to work with local communities.
Joe Lawson, chairman of April Group’s stakeholder advisory committee, says: “The next challenge will be to ensure that these policy commitments are implemented on the ground, in a meaningful and sustainable manner.”
The group has been working closely with Greenpeace and WWF ahead of the announcement.
It was timed alongside the start up of a new PM to produce its PaperOne digital print grade, boosting capacity of the flagship cutsheet brand from 820,000tpa to 1,150,00tpa. The fibre is sourced from plantation wood, is 100% ECF and is designed for electrophotographic printing.
The paper is currently exported to 75 countries, but does not carry PEFC certification. As APP is taking this extra step, April Group cannot afford to be be far behind.
Asia Pulp and Paper has achieved certification for its plantations in China and has now started to acquire the same recognition for plantations in Indonesia, something which will make it easier to meet expectations of European customers.
