Board Converting News, February 22, 2021

Safety, Sustainability (CONT’D FROM PAGE 14)

right ways to recycle as one of the best ways to increase the quantity and quality of paper in the recycling stream. Keeping Forests as Forests : The U.S. grows more wood than it harvests. U.S. forest products manufacturers take steps to promote sustainable forestry and procure wood fiber from certified forestlands and through certified sourcing programs. Moreover, members procuring fiber must adhere to Sustainable Procurement Principles that also promote sustainable forest management practices. Paper and wood products manufacturers use as much of the tree as possible to make paper, packaging and wood products, while remaining residuals are used as a renew- able energy source (biomass) to power mills. AF&PA has for many years advocated for science-based policies that acknowledge renewable biomass and pro- vide regulatory certainty to level the playing field for global competition and the protection of rural American jobs. To- gether, these sustainable practices ensure the industry’s fiber supply is protected while also helping mitigate one of the major factors of wildfire risk. Strong markets for paper and wood products also gives private forest owners confi- dence to continue replanting trees. And demand for these products increases the incentive to replant trees, decreas- ing the likelihood of conversion to other uses. Transportation Infrastructure : Paper and wood prod- ucts manufacturers face a nationwide shortage of trans- portation capacity, an aging infrastructure, and inefficient CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

air quality, water stewardship, product stewardship and health and safety, while maintaining the competitiveness of our industry. These policies should recognize that our industry is based on a renewable and recyclable resource and our bio-based products are manufactured with bioen- ergy, improved efficiency and recycled at a rate far higher than other major commodities. Continued Success for Paper Recycling : The paper industry has a demonstrated, measurable record of suc- cess in making products more circular and sustainable through market-based approaches. In 2019, the paper re- cycling rate was 66.2 percent, and the recycling rate for old corrugated containers (OCC) was 92.0 percent. The three-year average recycling rate for OCC is 92.3 percent. Paper and paper-based packaging are the most recycled materials by weight from municipal waste streams in the United States today. U.S. packaging and pulp producers are also commit- ted to investing more than $4.1 billion in manufacturing in- frastructure, from 2019-2023, to continue the best use of recovered fiber in manufacturing our products. Efforts to ban, tax or restrict access to paper products are counter- productive to this achievement and discourage the use of products that are recyclable, compostable, reusable and made from renewable and recycled material.AF&PA sup- ports efforts that recognize educating consumers on the

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February 22, 2021

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