Sustainable paper’s best kept secret: biogas (cleantechnica.com)

Representatives from nature conservation, tropical forestry and the forest industry have all be elected onto the PEFC International Board, following a unanimous vote by the PEFC General Assembly in the Helsinki, Finland. Alongside two returning Board members, Riikka Joukio (forest industry and processing) and Hervé Le Bouler (NGO), we are delighted to welcome two new board members: Gerald Pfiffinger (ENGO and conservation) and Mohd Nurudeen Iddrisu (tropical forestry). "We need forest certification in developing countries," said Dr. Iddrisu, following his acceptance onto the Board. "Now as part of the PEFC Board, I want to take it upon myself to reach out to my fellow ‘countrymen’ in the tropical countries in order to get certification into the national agenda." Click Read More below for additional information.

Robert Glowinski, President and CEO, AWC: “Despite claims of energy flexibility intended under the Clean Power Plan, EPA actually limited the types of renewable energy states can use, which included our industry’s production and use of carbon neutral biomass energy. The Clean Air Act did not give EPA the authority to impose such sweeping restrictions on existing electric utility generating utilities. The wood products industry plays an important and unique role in reducing greenhouse gases by converting manufacturing biomass residuals to energy needed to power our mills. AWC supports this Executive Order and will continue to seek clarity on EPA’s treatment of biomass to ensure it is recognized as a critical component of clean energy.” Donna Harman, President and CEO, AF&PA: “We welcome the Energy Independence Executive Order to provide states and ratepayers, including paper and wood products manufacturers, long-overdue relief from harmful regulatory overreach. The nation deserves affordable, reliable electricity, not rate hikes and competitive harm that can stem from onerous regulation such as the Clean Power Plan. On average, our industry meets about two-thirds of its energy demand through carbon neutral renewable biomass and is able to sell some energy to the grid. We plan to continue working with policy makers to provide an effective solution that recognizes the carbon benefits of biomass energy in paper and wood products manufacturing facilities.” click Read More below for additional detail

Amcor is proud to be joining a new call for a UN treaty on plastic waste, following a recent report from Boston Consulting Group, World Wildlife Foundation and Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Amcor has embraced a leadership role in the packaging industry, to drive fast and tangible progress towards responsible packaging. Our company’s contribution is most visible through 1) our innovation - such as our recent, world first recyclable retort pet food pouch – 2) collaborating for better policy and 3) informing consumers about how their recycling practices make a huge difference in keeping waste out of the environment. That progress at industry level must continue and gather even more pace. But it must also be matched by a serious, concerted effort by governments to invest in the necessary infrastructure needed to manage waste and increase recycling – of all of types of waste.