Canada | According to preliminary data from the Canada Pulp and Paper Products Council, recycling rates in the country climbed in the last year to reach 58%. This marks an improvement in recycling efforts by 33%, or one-third, from 2002. While the progress is good news, Canadians must do more to ensure that no good paper goes to landfill, according to the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC).
The data mark an important milestone for Canadians and the forest products industry as both strive to create a healthier planet, says Avrim Lazar, FPAC's president and Chief Executive. Nevertheless, ‘this is no time for the industry and Canadians to rest on their laurels,’ Mr Lazar says. ‘The progress in diverting paper to landfill is impressive, but the forest products industry once again challenges Canadians to go further given the valuable benefits from recycling.’
Good recovered fibre from paper, newsprint or discarded paper packaging can be used in the production of new products. Moreover, diverting as much of it as possible from landfill reduces the amount of methane - over 20 times more potent than a greenhouse gas, such as carbon dioxide - emitted into the atmosphere.
Just as Canadians have responded in recent years to the recycling challenge, FPAC says it is time for industrial sectors to follow their lead and place environmental excellence at the top of their business agendas. Regardless of past performance, it is up to each sector - including forest products - to demonstrate leadership and set ambitious goals in an effort to create a better environment and attract the growing number of customers who will demand sustainably-produced goods.
‘Canada's forest products industry is committed to going further, and we encourage others to follow suit,’ Mr. Lazar comments. ‘As the world becomes increasingly preoccupied with climate change and sustainability, customers are asking more questions about where their products come from and how they are produced. For Canada's forest products sector, this represents an unprecedented opportunity and a sweet spot we want to target.’
The forest products industry represents 3% of Canada's GDP, directly employs over 300,000 Canadians and is the economic backbone of rural Canada. Canada's forest industry is an CA$80-billion dollar a year industry and one of Canada's largest employers, operating in over 300 Canadian communities, and providing nearly 900,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country.
