Understanding the language associated with paper making and the environment will improve our ability to make more informed decisions about the choice and use of papers and boards.
EMAS
The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), used by the European Union since 1995 and updated in 2001, regarded as the superior environmental standard. The scheme requires transparent public reporting, monitoring, auditing and employee involvement in its implementation. EMAS is designed to deliver continual improvements in a company's environmental performance.
PEFC
The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, founded in Paris, in 1999, by representatives of eleven officially constituted national PEFC governing bodies with the support of associations representing some 15 million woodland owners in Europe and of many international forest industry and trade organizations PEFC promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification, and provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests.
ISO 14001
The International Organisation for Standards (ISO) promotes the development and implementation of voluntary international standards. ISO 14001 has established performance objectives and environmental management systems to prevent pollution, ensure compliance with regulations and achieve continual improvement.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
A WWF supported, international non-profit organisation, founded in 1993 to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. The FSC have introduced a "Chain of Custody" labelling system for wood and paper products which means that they are certified at each stage of their manufacture to meet social, economic and environmental standards.
Well Managed Forests (WMF)
Forests that are certified and audited to ensure they comply with environmentally sustainable practice and principles. A number of systems are used throughout the world, including the Forest Stewardship Council, the Finnish Forest Certification System (FFCS), the Pan-European Forest Certification Scheme (PEFC) and the North American Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
Recycled
Paper that is reused after its original manufacture. When we refer to paper as being recycled the content must include a level of recycled material. The proportion of recycled material is usually provided in the product description. Genuine recycled papers should contain a minimum of 20-30% post consumer waste.
Alternative Fibre
Paper made from fibre that is sourced from alternatives to wood. These include: cotton, bagasse, seaweed and hemp. The visual characteristics and print performance of these stocks are often indistinguishable from traditional wood based products.
Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF)
When paper is made from wood it becomes discoloured by tannin and lignin which are naturally occurring impurities in the timber. Traditionally chlorine has been used to bleach these impurities to make the paper white, but it has been found to have negative environmental impacts. ECF pulps are bleached with a derivative of chlorine which virtually eliminates toxic emissions.
Totally Chlorine Free (TCF)
When a pulp is referred to as being Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) it means that the bleaching process avoids the use of all chlorine. While TCF pulps have important environmental impacts they have a low yield and require more wood to make the same amount of paper as ECF pulps.
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
External certification, ongoing auditing systems and internal Mill Specific Environmental Management Systems that are designed to assure continuous improvement and the reduction of negative environmental impacts. Currently, a wide selection of the Raleigh Paper range is certified by at least two leading global EMS systems - EMAS and ISO 14001.
Environmental Labelling
Worldwide, efforts have been made to use systems of labelling to identify and confirm when environmentally sustainable practices have been used in paper production. The Nordic Swan and Blue Angel labels which have been widely used in Scandinavia and Europe, and the Green Seal which is used in the USA, are now being surpassed by EMAS and ISO 14001.
Environmental Reporting
Paper manufacturers like UPM-Kymmene now produce highly detailed environmental reports that contain information about most aspects of paper manufacture. Information about energy use, water quality, air quality and chemical use can be easily accessed using the internet.
Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI)
The Index was launched in 1999 to track the financial performance of the world's leading sustainability-driven companies. The Index tracks performance using economic, social and environmental criteria. Companies listed on the DJSI are reviewed annually.
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