The PEFC label is a standard widely adopted by paper and packaging professionals. It ensures that the fibre used is sourced from sustainably managed forests. As usages, knowledge and issues evolve, the PEFC forum has defined and voted for new rigid standards. Christine de Neuville, PEFC France’s President explained that, “In the current context of climate change, the manifestations of which vary from one forest to another and whose evolutions can never be fully predicted, building standards offering only one truth for all forests in France. We wanted to propose a tool, close to the realities of the field that guides the actors of sustainable forest management.”

With 552 votes in favour, 44 against and 43 abstentions, the European Parliament members adopted the European regulation on products without deforestation (EUDR) in Strasbourg on April 19th,2023. In practice, companies will have to prove that the goods do not come from deforested land as of 2021, whether in Europe or elsewhere in the world. The list includes palm oil, coffee, soybeans, wood, cocoa, livestock, rubber, coal and printed paper products. Companies will have to provide the authorities with relevant information such as geo-location coordinates. These checks will be done using satellite monitoring tools. In the event of non-compliance, companies may be fined up to 4% of the supplier’s total annual turnover in the EU. Don’t forget that an area larger than the EU was deforested between 1990 and 2020. European consumption is estimated to account for about 10% of these losses.

According to François Excoffier, Federec’s President, who inaugurated the EN2R National School of Recycling and Resource on Monday, April 3rd, “The future looks bright for retraining professions, whose training courses are expected to become rapidly more popular with all training organisations, schools & universities that have chosen to work with us on this national project that is based primarily on the regions. This is the whole meaning of the partnership with Afpa, for whom the territorial network is essential and which will accompany the deployment of the EN2R in its villages or through the creation of showcase sites.” Today the EN2R has a first site, a strategic national showcase bringing together all the needs of the industry (mobile trays, itinerant expert trainers, R&D laboratory on new skills needs initiated by the Recycling Branch, ...), located in the heart of the Afpa Lille-Lomme Solutions Village. Other sites will be deployed in the coming years. According to a study carried out for the Fédération professionnelle des entreprises du recyclage (Federec), 16,000 jobs will be available by 2030 in the recycling sector.

Ecology continues to be at the heart of the concerns of all stakeholders in the sector. Another example is Kemira and Metsä Group, which have agreed to jointly develop a new sustainable product or raw material related to the forest industry by 2027. "Sustainable development cooperation supports the strategic goals of both companies and increases the overall sustainability of the value chain. It is important for us to help our customers achieve their environmental goals while developing our sustainable product portfolio," said Harri Eronen, SVP, Commercial, Pulp & Paper, EMEA, Kemira, a Finnish chemical company specializing in the paper industry. In 2022, Kemira set an ambitious new climate target and committed to reducing emissions from its own operations (Scope 1 and 2) 50% by 2030, in line with the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative. Kemira has also committed to setting a short-term quantified target for its Scope 3 emissions within the timeframe set by the SBTi. Reducing the environmental impacts of the value chain is an important part of the Scope 3 emissions target. For Metsä, one of the main goals is that its products will be completely fossil-free by 2030.

Unfortunately, there are very few female executives in the industry. March 8th, International Women’s Day, was the day to celebrate one of them, Elodie Bugnicourt, EMEA Sustainability Manager at Graphic Packaging International, one of the leading manufacturers of consumer packaging with more than 2 billion euros of sales for 43 production sites. You will find the full interview of Elodie Bugnicourt in Pap'Argus’ March issue.

Combining the paper industry and heat pump systems makes sense. That is the message coming from the partnership between the associations representing the paper manufacturing sectors, CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries) and EHPA (European Association of Heat Pumps). The goal of this collaboration is to achieve an innovation that could produce 50% energy savings in paper manufacturing. It could also play a key role in decarbonizing one of Europe’s energy-intensive sectors. In today’s world heat pumps save energy for many industries. They provide about 10% of final industrial energy demand in Europe and contribute to reducing industrial emissions in many sectors. "Our Industry will continue to do its part to reduce energy consumption and heat pumps can play an important role in this regard. Combined with access to affordable non-fossil energy heat pumps, this will allow a full transition to a low-carbon, circular, bioproduct-based economy," said Jori Ringman, CEPI’s Executive Director (see photo).

The Spanish group Saica has taken the sustainable development path by joining the Science Based Targets initiative, a project promoted by non-profit organizations to help companies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Saica, which recently celebrated its 80th anniversary (it was founded in Zaragoza on February 4th, 1943 under the name of Sociedad Anónima Industrias Celulosa Aragonesa), has a maximum of 24 months to define short and long-term objectives and submit them to the approval of iSBT, in accordance with its rules. These targets are calculated on the basis of the gas emission reductions, based on existing models, necessary to keep the global temperature increase below 1.5°C relative to industrial era temperatures, in accordance with COP 21 agreements. Joining iSBT means that the Saica Group must publish its carbon footprint every year so that its partners can track progress towards the final goal. Saica specializes in the production of corrugated board with an annual production capacity of 3.3 million tonnes of recycled paper.

The B E B Bio Energie Baden company on the Kehl site will be transformed in order to be able to use other fuels. The transformation will take place gradually with the partial conversion which started in October 2022 scheduled to be completed in 2023. (To date, unit I of the Kehl biomass cogeneration plant is fed exclusively with old wood). By 2024, the Koehler Group plans to fully convert the power plant at its Oberkirch site to biomass. Therefore in the future, the energy needed to produce paper will be produced exclusively from wood chips, green waste and sawmill residues. From 2024 onwards, the fuels used until then on this site, such as paper fibre sludge as waste from paper production and sewage waste, will be upgraded in the Kehl biomass thermal power plant. The Koehler Group’s objective, by 2030 at the latest, is that all the energy consumption necessary for Koehler Paper’s paper production will be done by producing renewable energy within its own facilities.

This is the second year in a row that Metsä Board of the Metsä Group has won the Finnish Circular Economy Award and the Finnish Quality Award as part of the Excellence Finland evaluation. Both the Quality Award and the Circular Economy Award are based on an evaluation which used the international EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) model. Juha YläAutio, Excellence Finland’s CEO, said the Quality Award rewards the best organisation in Finland that has achieved verifiable excellence in the implementation of its strategy.

As part of its CSR strategy, the packaging solutions specialist Cenpac obtained its membership to the FRET21 system EVE program’s FRET21 system (Voluntary Commitments for Environment - Transport and Logistics). In doing so, it has committed to reducing its CO2 emissions due to transport by 12%. To achieve this goal, Cenpac will rely on two main ways: Guaranteeing a maximum truck filling rate of 96 % from 94% before, and optimizing transport flows. By working with transporters who use B100 biofuel from rapeseed, it reduces CO2 emissions by 60% compared to diesel. Cenpac has been a subsidiary of the Raja group since 2010  Cenpac’s new CEO (since September) is Sylvain Berquet. He succeeded Brice Kapelusz who was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Raja France.

Traditionally, drying is one of the most energy-intensive steps of the paper manufacturing process. That is why the Smurfit Kappa Group, which is aiming for a 55% reduction in the intensity of its fossil CO2 emissions by 2030, has sought to develop a less energy-intensive technology. This was ‘mission accomplished’ at the Townsend Hook paper mill in Kent, in the United Kingdom which has a new drying system that reduces energy consumption by 6% and total CO2 emissions by 5%. Smurfit Kappa cannot do it alone. The company has worked with several partners, including the Paper Industry Technical Association, Automation X, ProcSim, Carbon Trust and the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department.

The Vienna-based Mayr Melnhof Group has announced the closure of one of its two carton board machines at its Slovenian MM Kolievo site in Domžale. MM, where Peter Oswald is CEO, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carton board and folding boxes with a range of kraft paper and uncoated fine papers for various end uses.

According to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), 68% of all paper consumed in the United States was recycled in 2021. The report also shows that the recycling rate for older corrugated cardboard (OCC) containers increased significantly to 91.4% in 2021 (compared to 88.8% in 2020). This is a good balance sheet that leads experts to say that paper recycling is stronger than ever. The report also shows that nearly $5 billion is being invested in projects from 2019 to 2024 to recycle about 8 million additional tonnes of recovered fibre.

In line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, paper manufacturers around the world are facing the urgent challenge of producing more sustainably. A globally active technology company, Voith Paper needs to play a leading role in achieving these objectives along with providing customers  the best possible support on the way to more sustainable and efficient paper production. The company has launched the ‘Papermaking for Life’ program that has an ambitious target for 2030: 100% CO2-neutral paper production. Voith Paper is also looking for technologies for a brand new paper manufacturing process that reduces freshwater consumption by 90%.  Already by tapping into new streams of recycled fibres, the recycling rate in paper production can be increased to 90%. Voith Paper also has standards for fibre consumption. For example, customers can save 10-15% fibre using the BlueLine pulp preparation system. They are committed to strengthening the contribution of fibre-based packaging in a circular economy, notably by being a member of the 4evergreen Alliance. The goal of this partnership is to increase the recycling rate of paper to more than 90% by 2030 through new recycling channels.

Thanks to Two Sides and its lawsuit against greenwashing, more than 880 companies and organizations have removed misleading environmental claims (including “Zero Paper for the Environment!” or “Save Trees, Use an Electronic Invoice!”).  Given the considerable scope of some of these organizations, this step is vital for the industry. These unfounded claims have a negative impact on consumer perception of paper and threaten a sector that employs 1,096,000 people in more than 115,700 companies in the European Union.  Little by little, public authorities are also taking legal measures against greenwashing. Recently, the Climate Law has strengthened the deceptive marketing practices by adding article L. 121-2 of the Consumer Code the cases concerning "the scope of the advertiser’s commitments, particularly in environmental matters." This offense is punishable by two years in prison and comes with a fine of 300,000 euros. The penalty may be increased to 10% of annual turnover or 50% of advertising expenses incurred. This rate can be increased to 80% if the allegations made are environmental (L.132-2 of the Consumer Code). It should also be noted that the AGEC Act has introduced in the Environmental Code that itis forbidden to include on a product or package the words "biodegradable", "environmentally friendly" or anything similar. This is to avoid vague, general, or unfounded claims. Finally, neutrality and carbon offsetting that are to be made available to the consumer are specifically listed.

In accordance with art.67 of the AGEC law set on February 10th, 2020 in the fight against waste and the circular economy, Decree #2022-507  has set the targets for packaging reuse: 5% in 2023 and 10% in 2027 (on this scale but in proportion to the annual turnover).

The Order defines “re-used or reused packaging” as at least a second use for a use of the same nature as the one for which it was designed, and the re-use or re-use of which is organized by or on behalf of the producer. A package that is used for at least a second time at the point of sale for bulk sale, or at home if it is a refill device arranged by the producer, is deemed to be reused.

The producers concerned will be able to form a group structure or rely on their eco-organization.

The decree also sets out the fines incurred (3rd or 5th class) in case of non-compliance with the obligations

The war in Ukraine continues to produce collateral damage in the sector. The PEFC International board of directors has determined that all wood from Russia and Belarus is “conflict wood” and therefore can no longer be used in PEFC certified products. The clarification that wood from Russia and Belarus is to be considered ‘conflict wood’ was made at an important board meeting. This status will be valid for six months. PEFC will publish further guidelines in the coming days. The same is true of FSC: the Board of Directors of FSC International  agreed to suspend, in Russia and Belarus, all certificates of companies carrying out commercial transactions and block any controlled timber supply from these two countries. This means that wood and forest products from Russia and Belarus cannot be used in FSC-certified products or sold as FSC-certified anywhere in the world as long as the armed conflict continues.

In February 2022, the CNE (French National Packaging Organisation) published a report called “Packaging and Environmental Impact: Facts & Figures.” This report provides an analysis of the practices and methodologies of environmental impact studies: What impacts are being studied? How? Using which standards? How are they measured? It also shows how these particular impacts are put into perspective for example, in terms of food waste reduction and how useful they can be. www.conseil-emballage.org

Pro Carton, the European association of carton board and paperboard manufacturers, highlighted the results of a study carried out by the Graz University of Technology in Austria on the recyclability of fibre-based packaging materials. They can be recycled more than 25 times with minimal or no integrity loss. Winfried Muehling, Pro Carton’s Managing Director, said, “ The results decisively put an end to the misconception that fibre-based packaging can only be recycled four to seven times before it loses its integrity. This study highlights that paper and cardboard fibres are much more durable than previously thought.” The study by UT Graz thus underlines the vital contribution of board to the circular economy and the role it can play in improving companies and brands sustainability practices. The current European recycling rate for paper and paperboard packaging is 84.2%. The European paper industry has set a target of a recycling rate of 90% by 2030.