Sappi North America's Environmental Responsibility: Energy and Emissions

We approach environmental responsibility from a holistic perspective grounded in life cycle thinking—looking carefully at raw material use, energy generation, manufacturing and the end of life of our products. We work across the supply chain to drive change within our spheres of influence.

Energy & Emissions

In the US, the forest products industry continues to be the leading sector in the use of renewable energy. On average, nearly two-thirds of the industry’s total energy is derived from renewable resources. Most pulp and paper mills take advantage of the efficiencies of the cogeneration of steam and power, and in many cases, mills can sell electricity or renewable energy credits to help support local energy grids. And while we are proud of these facts, we also know that there is room for improvement in terms of total energy consumption. Other than wood fiber and chemicals, energy is our third largest expense related to papermaking. As such, we are steadfast in our efforts to reduce energy—providing savings to our operations while simultaneously reducing emissions.

Award-Winning Improvements

Continuous improvement is a core operating principle at Sappi, and each of our mills is constantly seeking opportunities for reducing energy. For example, this past year our Somerset Mill implemented projects related to efficient lighting within the paper mill as well as heat recovery in the paper drying process. These projects result in lower total energy use and operating costs, less fossil fuel usage, less purchased energy and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In recognition of our efforts, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) awarded Sappi North America with the 2016 AF&PA Leadership in Sustainability Award for Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Reduction for the Hood Heat Recovery Project at the Somerset Mill. 

“Sappi’s Hood Heat Recovery Project at Somerset is a shining example of how improvements to industry infrastructure can benefit the environment as well as the bottom line.” - Donna Harman, President and CEO, American Forest & Paper Association

Read more from Sappi North America's 2016 Sustainability Report here: http://bit.ly/SNA-2016SR