News Room
Recyclable Paper Bags Are an Environmentally Sustainable Solution
PRNewswire-FirstCall
FEDERAL WAY, Wash.
Jun 11, 2007
Across the United States, cities are enacting legislation mandating recycled, recyclable, reusable bags at retail stores.
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"It's important that lawmakers, retailers and consumers have the facts about retail packaging alternatives," said Bob Rovzar, managing director for Weyerhaeuser Company's retailer segment.
"Recyclable paper bags are an environmentally sustainable, functional choice for stores and consumers," he said. "They are made from recovered materials and are easily recycled, re-used or composted by consumers. This reduces waste and helps sustain the environment."
The facts about paper bags -- 100% recyclable at convenient curbside recycling or at recycling stations. -- 100% compostable -- paper breaks down quickly and naturally in the environment. -- Reusable -- consumers may reuse paper bags to carry items, create arts &crafts projects, package items for shipping and mailing, collect recyclables and other uses. -- Weyerhaeuser recyclable grocery sacks contain 40 percent post-consumer recycled content (paper bags, cardboard boxes and other papers); the remaining 60 percent comes from pre-consumer recovered wood fiber. -- No old growth forests are harvested to make Weyerhaeuser's recyclable paper bags. -- Weyerhaeuser recyclable paper bags meet or exceed industry specifications for durability. They hold up to 20 lbs of goods and keep their shape when loaded. -- Recyclable paper bags are very familiar to consumers, so they're easy for everyone to use. -- Recyclable paper bags are clean, so items are not contaminated, soiled or damaged. -- 72 percent of the power used in Weyerhaeuser's pulp and paper mills is generated by biomass fuel, which is considered greenhouse gas neutral. -- Weyerhaeuser sequesters carbon dioxide in its sustainably managed forests and in its wood products. In 2006, the company sequestered about 2.4 times more carbon dioxide than it emitted, effectively removing approximately nine million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents from the atmosphere. -- In 2006, the company committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020 using a 2000 baseline -- the most aggressive target in the industry. The company has already achieved a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2000. -- Since 1990, Weyerhaeuser has reduced the amount of water required to produce a ton of pulp and paper by 48 percent. -- Between 1999 and 2006, the company reduced the amount of energy used to produce a ton of product by 23 percent. -- Since 1999, Weyerhaeuser has reduced pulp and paper mill sulfur dioxide emissions by 24 percent and particulate matter emissions by 74 percent. -- Recovered wood fiber used in paper bags comes from manufacturing wood products -- a productive use of an abundant and renewable natural resource -- trees. -- For more information about Weyerhaeuser recyclable paper bags: http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/ourbusinesses/pulppaperpckging/kraftpaperb ags/paperorplastic/
"Creating a strong market for recycled products is key to completing the recycling process. Consumers participate when they purchase recyclable products, especially those made from recycled materials, and recycle, re-use or compost those products," said Rovzar. "Governments can promote buying recycled products through their own purchasing programs and guidelines and by refraining from enacting barriers to purchasing recycled products including taxes, surcharges or other disincentives."
Weyerhaeuser operates plants across the United States, and has supplied paper bags to retail store customers for over 40 years. All of the company's U.S. timberlands have earned Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)® certification. The SFI program is a comprehensive system of principles, objectives and performance measures developed by professional foresters, conservationists, scientists and other stakeholders from outside industry. The program combines the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the long- term protection of forest biodiversity, wildlife, plants, soil and water quality, and other forest values. For more information: http://www.sfiprogram.org/
Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. In 2006, sales were $21.9 billion. It has offices or operations in 18 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction, development and related activities. Additional information about Weyerhaeuser's businesses, products and practices is available at http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/.
For more information contact:
Media -- Brian McDermott (253) 924-4337
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SOURCE: Weyerhaeuser Company
CONTACT: Brian McDermott, +1-253-924-4337, for Weyerhaeuser Company
Web site: http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/
http://www.sfiprogram.org/