Asia Pulp & Paper in 'Full Compliance' with EU Ecolabel

An official report by the European Commission has ruled that key products manufactured by Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) in Indonesia meet all of the criteria for the EU Ecolabel - a standard designed to reassure consumers that they are buying goods which are 'kindest' to the environment.

The Commission asked French audit firm AFNOR to carry out an in-depth investigation into copying and graphic paper produced by Asia Pulp & Paper's Pindo Deli manufacturing centre, its pulp and pulpwood suppliers in Indonesia. In a statement published on the official European Commission website, it says:

"The Audit clearly proves that there was full compliance with the criteria of the EU Ecolabel for copying and graphic paper valid at the time, especially on criterion 3 - sustainable forest management."(1)

Asia Pulp & Paper Managing Director Aida Greenbury said: "We are delighted that APP's copying and graphic products will continue to carry the EU Ecolabel, which is only awarded to the very best environmentally-friendly products. Asia Pulp & Paper welcomed the AFNOR audit as an opportunity to disprove any suggestions of non-compliant practices in our manufacturing centres made by international NGO, FERN."(2)

Some of the key findings of the EU audit were:

-- It was proven that 88% of the fibre in the products came from APP's own plantation forests 'in compliance with the forest management program administered by the Indonesian Government'. The remaining 12% consisted of fibre from sustainably-managed certified sources.

-- Virgin fibre used in the products 'came from forests managed under the principles of sustainable management'.

-- Chain of Custody Certificates were provided for each (external) supplier of pulp. The audit validated by checking invoices or documents related to the delivery that the pulp was made up of fibres from certified forests.(3)

Ms. Greenbury added: "The EU audit is just one of the environmental validations which Asia Pulp & Paper has received in recent years. We believe all stakeholders can use these findings as a true, independent verdict on our environmental credentials."