REI Co-op Urges Washington Voters to Reject Ballot Initiative 2117

By diverting paper from landfills and reintroducing it into the production cycle, recycling paper benefits the environment by conserving resources and reducing the need for virgin materials. This can lead to significantly reduced demand for timber from forests. The resulting recycle paper materials are used to produce everything from newspaper and tissue to cardboard and magazines – benefitting both the forests and you, the environmentally conscious individual. The production of paper from recycled fibers consumes considerably less energy and water compared to paper made from virgin materials. Recycling paper requires less processing, reducing the energy-intensive steps involved in harvesting, pulping, and bleaching raw wood pulp. Additionally, it conserves water resources by minimizing the need for extensive irrigation in forestry operations and the paper manufacturing process.

DS Smith unveiled a major investment to transform the paper mill's energy supply at its site in Normandy, near Rouen. The project includes replacing the coal-fired boiler with a new biomass boiler that will reduce the site's emissions by 99,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. * The 56 MW Valmet high-tech boiler will supply at least 80% of the site's heat demand and will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2025. It will be fuelled by 94,000 tonnes of biofuel, 30% of which will come from plant by-products (pulper waste) and 70% from waste wood sources such as furniture and demolition waste. Engie Solutions will operate the boiler, which will allow for the possibility for the future installation of a steam turbine capable of producing around 10 MW of electricity with a maximum steam supply of 65 t/h.

SCA cooperates with approximately 25 contractors as part of the planting work. This in turn means almost 500 planters will be active in the forests, from Svappavaara in the north to Hassela in the south. The planters are from many different countries, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine and Nepal. They begin planting in mid-May and continue into October. The planters work both in SCA’s own forest and on the land of private forest owners, who have contracted SCA to help with planting. Before the planters leave for the forest, they must have successfully completed the Skötselskolan (Forest Management School) training course, which is a industry-wide online training course. Those working as planting supervisors, meaning people leading planting work in the forest, must also have completed a practical course covering consideration for nature conservation and cultural heritage. Click Read More below for additional information.