Loading prices...

Register/Sign in
ScrapMonster
Sell Your Junk CarGet an instant quote for your car on ScrapMonster.com
Waste & Recycling January 26, 2017 11:30:00 AM

American Forest & Paper Association publishes 2016 Sustainability Report

Paul Ploumis
ScrapMonster Author
The forest products industry employed 914,000 people in 2015.

American Forest & Paper Association publishes 2016 Sustainability Report

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released its 2016 Sustainability Report. The report marks the halfway point in its ten-year journey to reach our 2020 goals. The report presents an analysis and progress toward AF&PA’s Better Practices, Better Planet 2020sustainability goals. Out of the six 2020 goals, the company has already achieved two, namely safety and greenhouse gas emissions.

The industry is very close to achieving the 70% paper recovery rate for recycling by 2020, with the industry’s recovery rate for paper consumed in the US in 2015 reaching 66.8%. The member purchased energy use per ton of production was 8.1% lower in 2014, upon comparison with 2005. The original goal was to achieve at least 10% increase in members’ purchased energy efficiency from 2005 to 2020. The company has made significant progress in achieving sustainable forestry goal by increasing the procurement of woof fiber from certified sourcing program from 87% in 2005 to 98% in 2014. As against the targeted 12% reduction in members’ pulp and paper mills’ water use by 2020, AF&PA has been successful in reducing water use by 6.5% by 2014.

In 2014, the industry’s recordable case incidents rate declined by 40.8% when matched with 2006. The company had targeted to improve its incidence rate by another 25% from 2006 to 2020. Also, the Sustainability Report noted that it would seek new ways to achieve its goal of zero workplace injuries. In green house gas emission reduction, the company surpassed the original reduction goal of 15% with member greenhouse gas emissions dropping by 16% by 2014. These reductions have come about through member adoption of efficient manufacturing production measures, increased use of less carbon-intensive fossil fuels and carbon-neutral biomass-based energy sources.

According to the report, the paper and wood products industry contributed over $84 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2014; the pulp and paper sector accounted for $55.5 billion in GDP and the wood products sector, $28.7 billion. Overall, the forest products industry accounted for 4 percent of manufacturing

The forest products industry employed 914,000 people in 2015. Of these, 102,000 people were employed at pulp, paper and paperboard mills, 271,000 at paper and paperboard converting plants, 380,000 at lumber and wood panel facilities, and 110,000 at wood kitchen cabinet plants. Total forest products industry employee compensation amounted to $51.4 billion in 2014. Paper industry employees were paid an average of $54,712 a year in 2014.

Total capital spending by the paper and wood products industry rose to $10.2 billion in 2014, which marked its highest level since 2007. Despite slow economic growth abroad and the strong dollar, the U.S. paper industry has maintained a trade surplus during recent years. The paper and wood products industry realized operating profits of $14 billion in 2015.

The AF&PA Sustainability Report 2016 notes that the annual recovery rate has nearly doubled since 1990, mainly on account of voluntary industry initiatives and the millions of Americans who recycle at home, work and school every day. 52 million tons of paper consumed in the US was recovered for recycling in 2015. The recovery rate totaled 66.8%, almost near to the set goal of 70% recovery rate by 2020.

×

Quick Search

Advanced Search