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Ad!dict #29 printed on Tripple Green
Sappi Fine Paper South Africa, a division of the global Sappi group, has announced a major upgrade at Sappi Stanger Mill, its coated paper mill in KwaZulu Natal. Known as "Triple Green", the upgrade introduces environmentally-sound fully-integrated procurement and manufacturing practice at the mill and research indicates it is a world first. It is a practice based on three environmental "pillars" which, in combination, are unique.
"Triple Green demonstrates Sappi's on-going commitment to producing high-quality coated fine paper in a sustainable and environmentally-sound way," says Albert Lubbe, Sappi Fine Paper South Africa's Managing Director. "It's something we're very proud of and feel it takes paper production into a new era." Every product produced at Sappi Stanger Mill is now manufactured according to the principles of Triple Green. These products include the Avalon Supreme, Dukuza Plus and Crystal coated fine paper ranges, used primarily for glossy brochures, coffee table books and magazines; Platinum Label, used for labels; as well as tissue wadding, which is used in the production of tissue products such as facial tissues, industrial wipes, serviettes and toilet paper.
"Corporations and large companies, in particular, can now choose an environmentally-sound, locally-manufactured coated fine paper for their annual reports, brochures, information leaflets, catalogues, newsletters and similar printed communications," says Lubbe. "We feel this will be especially important to all the companies listed on the JSE's Social Responsibility Investment (SRI) Index, as well as to other companies implementing sustainable development principles."
The three pillars on which Triple Green is based are processes that not only minimise the environmental impact of paper manufacturing and ensure long-term sustainability, but also assure end users that the procurement chain has been stringently monitored by independent environmental bodies.
They represent Sappi Fine Paper South Africa's pledge that:
Sappi Stanger Mill is one of only a few mills in the world that uses sugar cane fibre as its primary source of pulp. The pulp is a by-product of sugar production, being the fibrous material remaining after raw sugar has been extracted from sugar cane. As such, it is not only an annually-renewable resource but, in effect, a recycled raw material. On average, the coated paper and tissue wadding produced at the mill has a 60% cane fibre content and this is sourced from local suppliers, many of them previously-disadvantaged growers.
The second of the three pillars on which Triple Green is based is the fact the paper is produced without the use of chlorine in the bleaching process. All of the pulp is bleached using an elemental chlorine-free (ECF) process, which is particularly benign to the environment, results in paper that is more easily recyclable, maximises the use of raw materials and complies with the stringent environmental regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
As far as wood fibre is concerned, Sappi tracks and verifies the sources of all incoming fibre to ensure that it has been produced in renewable tree plantations and has not been derived from ancient, indigenous or rain forests. All wood fibre used at Sappi Stanger Mill is certified by either the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA) International.
"At Sappi, conserving and protecting natural resources is a fundamental business philosophy, concludes Lubbe. "It is an integral part of everything the group does, as this ensures an investment in its own future as well as in the environment and the communities in which it operates.
"Triple Green is a reflection of our overall strategy, and of our commitment to sustainability in all areas of our business. Given the many environmental and social benefits of the practice, we look forward to marketing our Triple Green products to corporate companies, publishers, printers and consumers who support the use of recyclable, biodegradable and acid-free local paper, which has been produced from certified and sustainable raw materials."
