The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), Washington, has recognized Montreal-based papermaker Domtar with two 2015 AF&PA Sustainability Awards. It marks the third consecutive year AF&PA has honored Domtar for its sustainability efforts. The awards were presented at AF&PA’s annual meeting Friday, Nov. 13, in San Antonio, Texas.
Domtar received an Innovation in Sustainability Award for its Plymouth K-Lime Project in North Carolina and the Leadership in Sustainability Award for Sustainable Forest Management for its Marlboro Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Partnership project in South Carolina.
AF&PA’s annual sustainability awards are designed to recognize exemplary sustainability programs and initiatives in the paper and wood products manufacturing industry and are given in multiple categories.
“Domtar’s Plymouth K-Lime Project is a fantastic example of innovation and how sustainability can be simultaneously good for the environment and the bottom line,” says AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. “K-Lime enabled Domtar to eliminate material going to landfill and the new product benefited the local farming community.”
Domtar’s Plymouth, North Carolina, mill eliminated materials being sent to landfill by creating K-Lime, a substitute for traditional fertilizer that consists of byproducts of the paper manufacturing process. Farmers in the region who use K-Lime are reporting increased crop yields, all being provided by Domtar to farmers at a third of the cost, according to Domtar.
“Sustainability and leadership often come down to doing the right thing, and Domtar successfully accomplished this in the sustainable forest management realm with [its] Marlboro FSC Partnership project,” said Harman.
Paper companies often need FSC certified fiber to meet specific customer demands, says AF&PA. Through the Marlboro FSC Partnership, Domtar covers certification costs and pays a premium to receive certified fiber, and landowners receive advice and support in getting their wood certified. The Marlboro project is part of Domtar’s goal of using 20 percent FSC-certified material in its pulp and paper mills by 2020.
“On behalf of all of my colleagues at Domtar, I would like to thank AF&PA for recognizing our achievements in innovation and sustainable forest management,” says Domtar President and CEO John Williams. “We are proud of our sustainability journey and look forward to breaking the norm in years to come.”
More information about AF&PA’s Sustainability Awards can be found at www.afandpa.org/sustainability.