The forum has been established to provide a cohesive industry voice for the broad paper industry with its immediate focus on collectively managing the environmental risks for the sector.
The forum will have membership from major manufacturers, distributors, converters and consumers of paper. Membership will be drawn from businesses and associations in the industry.
The forum was established mainly in response to the growing emphasis on waste reduction and the need for the industry to be able to provide robust information on the performance of the sector on environmental matters.
For example, 72% of paperboard packaging in New Zealand was recycled in the year ended 31 March 2005. This level of recycling exceeded the paperboard packaging targets under the Packaging Accord.
President of the New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association, Bill Berry, says that “the recycling target set for paper in the accord was exceeded by our members but we believe we needed to look wider than paperboard packaging if we are to tell the full story about the benefits of using paper over other materials for packaging and communication.
“The NZ Paper Forum will allow for a broader industry group to look at the steps being taken to reduce waste, recycle and reuse paper. With the current Government’s focus on environmental sustainability there are some very good news stories arising from this sector that both business and the public need to be aware of.”
The announcement follows agreement within the sector on a constitution for the new body, the election of officers, and the confirmation that the body would initially be hosted within PINZ.
In accepting the role as the inaugural Chair of the Forum, Charles Miller, general manager of PaperlinX NZ says: “The broad paper sector needs to work collectively on environmental sustainability. The forum will be our industry’s voice and advocate on this and other matters that may arise. My first task will be to work with the members of the forum on a work plan that supports our objectives.”
Founding members of the Forum are: ACP Media, Amcor Kiwi Packaging, Blue Star Print Group, Candida Stationery Limited, Carter Holt Harvey, Norske Skog Tasman Limited, Paperlinx Visy Board NZ Limited, Marketing Association, New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association, Printing Industries New Zealand, Self Adhesive Manufacturers Association.
