Can Paper Bags Be Recycled?

The sustainable management of India’s forests is set to take a significant step forward next week with the launch of the development process of the Indian national forest certification system. This launch, an important step towards PEFC-recognized forest management certification in the country, will be part of an international conference on forest certification in New Delhi on Monday. “In light of India’s vast forest resource, burgeoning economy, and strategic position in international markets, there is great opportunity to further position India’s forestry sector on sustainability, especially through broader uptake of forest certification,” said Sarah Price, Head of Projects and Development at PEFC International.

Stora Enso’s Sustainability Report 2017 has been included in the top ten sustainability reports globally according to the latest Reporting matters publication by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). In WBCSD’s Reporting matters publication, Stora Enso’s Sustainability Report is praised for its disclosure of internal sustainability management processes. The external assurance of the report’s sustainability information also received good feedback as it strengthens the credibility of Stora Enso’s disclosure. “We are proud of our transparent reporting being acknowledged,” says Noel Morrin, EVP Sustainability at Stora Enso. “It is especially encouraging to see that the four-tier reporting structure we use to present the most material opportunities and challenges is recognised as good practice.” Click read more below for additional detail.

DS Smith recycles around a quarter of the UK’s paper every year. Here, Peter Clayson, General Manager for Business Development and External Affairs at DS Smith Recycling, looks at what the UK needs to do to achieve the recycling targets outlined in the Circular Economy Package. The EU Council has now formally adopted the Circular Economy Package, which incorporates binding recycling targets of 55% municipal waste recycling by 2025, rising to 60% by 2030, and 65% by 2035. The ambition is similar for the recycling of all packaging materials, with targets of 65% by 2025 and 70% by 2030. Targets for paper and card specifically rise to 85% in the same time frame. But when these aspirations are compared with reality, there’s a real concern that the UK is going to fall short. With a current municipal recycling rate of 45.2%, the country is well below the place it needs to be in order to increase its recycling by 10% within the next eight years. Click Read More below for additional information.