GBP Achieves Net-Zero Water In Recycled Containerboard Production Green Bay, Wisconsin based Green Bay Packaging (GBP) announced that its mill achieved Net-Zero Water in its pro- duction of 100 percent recycled containerboard paper, the first-ever UL with validation of this environmental claim. “Environmental sustainability has always been at the core of Green Bay Packaging’s values,” said GBP Presi- dent and CEO, William Kress. “Our goal is to operate the most environmentally friendly mill system in the U.S., with water quality in our communities a primary focus.” The Net-Zero Water system at the Green Bay mill re- duces water demand through use of reclaimed water and alternative water sources, offsetting the need for freshwa- ter consumption. The goal in achieving “net-zero water” is to transform a water-intense process into a more efficient process, returning more water to the water source than has been removed. “Green Bay Packaging has been a strong stakehold- er in developing a rigorous procedure for assessing site water balance,” said William Hoffman, research scientist in UL’s Retail and Consumer Products group. “By achieving Net-Zero Water Use based on the UL Environmental Claim Validation Procedure, Green Bay Packaging has demon- strated a strong commitment to sustainability and preserv- ing water resources for future use.”
UL, the global safety leader, established the first in- dustrial global standard of its kind with the UL 1397, Envi- ronment Validation Claim Procedure for Net-Zero Water, published January 27, 2022. Green Bay Packaging’s im- plemented water-use strategy to minimize the impact of water use on the watershed and increase water resiliency, parallels the net-zero concept. “The net-zero water system is an investment in wa- ter technology that benefits community water resources while providing sustainable product innovation for our packaging customers and consumers,” said Green Bay Packaging’s Director of Environment and Sustainability, Lisa Bauer-Lotto. “Establishing a reclaimed water loop with the local municipal wastewater utility is an integral circular economy innovation into our papermaking process.” The US EPA considers circularity of net-zero water a green infrastructure with significant potential. Green Bay Packaging took the first steps in water consumption conservation in 1963 and became a pioneer in ‘closing- the-loop’. This led to a fully closed water system as a semi-chemical pulping mill in 1972. The closed-loop water system was rebuilt when the mill converted to a 100 per- cent recycled paper production in 1992. The Green Bay Packaging legacy of water stewardship continues with the new Green Bay mill that began production in 2021 with its first-of-a-kind, circular reclaim water systems that reduce the amount of water use per ton of paper production and fosters a net-zero water system.
8 March 7, 2022
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