Sustainability

Sustainability is an important consideration across industries. The paper industry was one of the first manufacturing industries to voluntarily set quantifiable sustainability goals. We have made significant strides toward sustainable forest management, resource efficiency and paper recycling.

The forest products industry is inherently circular in its supply chain. Trees are replanted to supply fiber and enhance the environment. And paper and packaging are recycled to make new products. This is how our industry is contributing to a more sustainable future. Learn more about our…

The paper and wood products industry is a leader in promoting sustainable forest management. As a condition of membership, AF&PA members are committed to sustainable forest management and sourcing wood from responsibly managed forests. We source our trees from healthy, well-managed working…

People want to know, is the paper industry really sustainable? The answer is yes! Your essential paper products are sustainable. The paper industry is a leader in sustainability, taking steps to reduce GHG emissions, increase energy efficiency and advance sustainable forest management.   …

Cardboard is a highly recyclable material that’s widely accepted for recycling in recycling programs across the U.S. 

Can you recycle shredded paper? Yes, but shredding it makes the paper less likely to be recycled if small bits of paper aren't properly contained. Only shred things with sensitive information to protect your privacy. 

Hong Wilcoxon is the quality manager at Domtar’s Engineered Absorbent Materials (EAM) facility in Jesup, Georgia. She helps make change for the better, including innovative products with sustainable, nonwoven materials.

You can’t make paper without water. That’s one reason water stewardship is so important to the paper and wood products industry. Lisa Bauer-Lotto shares news of Green Bay Packaging’s ground-breaking net-zero water achievement and how the industry is advancing sustainability. 

In 2020, AF&PA member pulp and paper mills decreased water use (per ton of product) by 8.3%, from the 2005 baseline year. This marks significant progress towards our Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goal to reduce water use at member pulp and paper mills by 12% between 2005…

In 2020, AF&PA member companies’ recordable incidence rate was 30% lower than the 2006 baseline. This surpasses our goal to reduce the incidence rate by 25% from 2006 to 2020.

In 2020, the paper recycling rate was 65.7%. This rate marks significant progress towards our Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goal to exceed 70 percent rate of paper recovery for recycling by 2020. 

In 2020, AF&PA members reduced GHG emissions – measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq) per ton of product – by 24.1% from the 2005 baseline. This surpasses the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 goal to reduce GHG emissions by at least 20% from 2005 to 2020.