Already a Leader in Offering Environmentally and Socially Responsible Products, Domtar Will Increase Its Annual Sales of FSC-Certified Paper by More Than 150,000 Tons
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(NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS)
MONTREAL, Aug. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Marking a new milestone in environmental responsibility, Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) announced today a broad expansion of its paper products that are certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®).
Beginning today, Domtar's EarthChoice® product line - the broadest collection of environmentally and socially responsible papers available - will now include specialty products used for bandage wraps, popcorn bags, candy wrappers, sugar pouches, hamburger wrap and a wide range of other everyday applications. Domtar produces these specialty papers at mills in Espanola, Ontario; Port Huron, Michigan; and Rothschild and Nekoosa, Wisconsin, all of which are certified to FSC standards by the Rainforest Alliance.
Domtar also announced today that all production of its Domtar Tradebook paper will now be FSC-certified and renamed EarthChoice® Tradebook. The product, specifically designed for book publishers who are committed to sustainability and providing an environmentally responsible choice, had previously been FSC-certified only on request.
As a result of this expansion, Domtar will annually sell more than 150,000 additional tons of FSC-certified paper.
"We have worked with Domtar for over a decade now," said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance, whose SmartWood program audits forests and companies to FSC standards. "With these new FSC-certified products, Domtar continues to move the industry forward when it comes to environmental responsibility."
FSC certification ensures that forests are managed in a way that protects nature and the people who live and work there. Auditors perform a thorough assessment, checking a range of criteria such as:
- The steps taken to protect soil and water;
- Safeguards that provide protection to fish and wildlife; and
- Whether the number of trees harvested is less than the number that either regrow naturally or get planted.
The announcements mark the latest steps by Domtar, a long-time promoter of FSC certification, to demonstrate its environmental leadership. In June, for instance, Domtar launched an online tool called the "Paper Trail," providing unmatched transparency among today's industry calculators. The tool allows customers to view the environmental impacts of specific paper grades, helping businesses and consumers measure their impact on the environment whilst providing guidance in their choice of paper product.
"In 2009, we were proud to be the first company to sell one million tons of FSC-certified EarthChoice paper, and we're excited that today, we can expand that line even further to include specialty products and book papers," said Lewis Fix, Domtar Vice-President of Sustainable Business and Brand Management. "This is going to help provide more ways for our customers to put their commitment to sustainability on paper. After all, we're more than just a paper company, we're the Sustainable Paper Company."
About Domtar
Domtar Corporation (NYSE/TSX:UFS) is the largest integrated manufacturer and marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America and the second largest in the world based on production capacity, and is also a manufacturer of papergrade, fluff and specialty pulp. The Company designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide range of business, commercial printing and publishing as well as converting and specialty papers including recognized brands such as Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice® and Domtar EarthChoice® Office Paper, part of a family of environmentally and socially responsible papers. Domtar owns and operates ArivaTM, an extensive network of strategically located paper distribution facilities. The Company employs approximately 8,500 people. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com.
About the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travellers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance's efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.
SOURCE DOMTAR CORPORATION
