Pro Carton Fact File – Module 3 – Forests – The Raw Material for Cartonboard

CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
FORESTS-
THE RAW
MATERIAL FOR
CARTONBOARD
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
WHY ARE FORESTS IMPORTANT FOR CARTONBOARD?
Sustainable Forest Management is practised by European forest owners and operators who apply “sustainable
development” principles when managing their forests. These cover environmental, economic and social aspects.
The management of forests for commercial production of wood fibre provides economic benefits to forest owners
and employment, leisure and recreation opportunities.
Forests are essential for the well-being of the environment and the planet as they help to reverse the greenhouse
effect and stabilise the climate. Forests also help the control of water levels, prevent soil erosion and store
solar energy.
Forests and woodland cover over 182 million hectares in the EU, amounting to 42% of the EU being covered in forests.
(Eurostat 2018).
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
WHAT IS THE “GREENHOUSE EFFECT”?
The greenhouse effect occurs when heat from the sun is unable to escape from the earth’s atmosphere.
This is considered to be due to the build-up of certain gases in the atmosphere which prevent the heat from
escaping. This acts like glass in a greenhouse causing the temperature at the earth’s surface to rise. This is known as
“global warming”.
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
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The most common greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. It is released when fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas are
burned to produce energy in the form of heat, electricity and in the internal combustion engine. The world’s use of
fossil fuels releases about 5 billion tonnes of carbon per annum. The global average carbon dioxide level in 2020 was
412.5 parts per million (Climate.gov 2020). Carbon dioxide levels today are higher than at any point in the past 800,000
years (Climate.gov 2020).
TREES HELP REVERSE THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT.
Trees grow by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. As trees grow they remove
carbon from the atmosphere and help to reverse the “greenhouse effect”. This is known as “fixing” carbon.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide by a process known as photosynthesis. In sunlight, trees, in common with all green
leafed plants, convert carbon dioxide and water into simple sugars and oxygen. The sugars are polymerised naturally
forming cellulose fibres.
INFLUENCE OF ALL MAJOR HUMAN-PRODUCED GREENHOUSE GASES, 1979-2017
3
Nitrous oxide
CFC - 12
Contribution to heating imbalance
(Watts/square meter)
2
1
CFC - 11
Other minor gases
1.0
0.5
Annual greenhouse gas index
(Relative to 1990)
0
1980
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1990 2000
Year
0
2010 2017
NOAA Climate.gov
Data: ESRL
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
HOW MUCH OF EUROPE IS FORESTED?
In Europe about 40% of the land is forested.
HOW MUCH OF THE WORLD IS FORESTED?
Forests cover 31% worldwide. Based on satellite images it is estimated that there are 400 billion trees worldwide.
In Europe the largest forests are in Finland where 66% of land is forested and Sweden accounting for 63% of the
land forested. Coniferous forests provide the main raw material for timber-based industries, including cartonboard.
Coniferous trees are softwood and broadleafed trees are hardwood.
Examples of softwood trees are pine, cedar, redwood spruce and birch.
Examples of hardwood trees are beech, oak, teak and walnut.
CARTON &
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HOW MUCH WOOD IS HARVESTED?
In Europe, wood comes from sustainably managed forests where the cycle of planting, growing and logging is
carefully controlled. Cellulose fibre is the primary raw material for paper making. Of the fibre used by the
European pulp and paper industry, 47% comes from virgin wood fibre and 53% from paper for recycling.
It is in the interest of our industry to invest in healthy and growing forests. For each harvested tree two to three
new saplings should be planted to secure future sustainability.
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
FORESTS ARE NOT DESTROYED IN ORDER TO PRODUCE PAPER AND BOARD
European forests are large enough to provide all the fibre needed on a sustainable basis.
The forest area in Europe is not decreasing, it is in fact increasing by the equivalent of 1500 football pitches every day.
The long term impact on sustainably managed forests also includes the ability to manage a mix of trees and adapt to
changing climate conditions to secure healthy growth within the forests for generations to come.
Additionally, the volume of wood in the established forests is increasing as the volume of annual new growth
exceeds the volume harvested by around 45% (Cepi).
The paper and board industry does not use wood from tropical rainforests. This wood is not technically suitable.
The real threat to tropical rainforests comes from the need for agriculture. Every year about 12 million hectares of
forest worldwide are cleared for agriculture and fuel, mostly in developing countries.
CARTON &
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ARE THERE ANY THREATS TO FORESTS IN EUROPE?
One of the greatest direct dangers to trees in Europe is from air pollution, droughts and insect damage. Air pollution
arises from the burning of large quantities of non-renewable fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, which produce nitrous
oxides and sulphur dioxide, in the more heavily populated and industrialised parts of Europe. This can be reduced by
more efficient energy generation, flue gas cleaning and the use of “cleaner” fuels and sources of energy.
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
WHO OWNS THE FORESTS?
In the major fibre producing countries - Finland and Sweden - two-thirds of forests are privately owned by very large
numbers of small land owners. Private ownership is also common in other countries together with a significant
ownership by the state and other public bodies. Overall, the paper and board industry owns less than 10% of the
forest area.
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
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IF PAPER AND BOARD CAN BE RECYCLED WHY DO WE CUT DOWN TREES?
A recycling rate of 84.2% means we need replenishment with fresh fibre to compensate for the gap of lost paper and
board that is never recycled. For example tissues for personal hygiene, food contaminated packaging, tobacco paper,
archived material, books and storage boxes consumers keep at home. There is also a certain percentage of material lost
which consumers do not make available for recycling. Such loss can only be replaced by new fibres from wood.
Specific customer needs require additional virgin fibre. For example direct food contact requires virgin fibre material or
specific requirements for stiffness and whiteness levels.
WHAT SPECIES OF TREES ARE USED FOR PAPER AND BOARD PRODUCTION?
In northern Europe the main species are spruce, pine and birch.
In Spain and Portugal eucalyptus is grown commercially.
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
WHICH PARTS OF THE TREE ARE USED FOR PAPER AND BOARD MANUFACTURE?
The paper and board industry uses forest thinnings, i.e. small trees which are removed so that the remaining trees
grow to maturity and can be used for sawn timber.
The industry also uses the small diameter tops of large trees and the round sections of the trunks which are
removed in the saw mills (saw mill waste).
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HOW IS SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT SECURED IN EUROPE?
The forest industry has accepted the principle of sustainable development and has national forest certifications
supporting sustainability through the PEFC and FSC certificated schemes in 129 Countries.
WHAT IS “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”?
In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development issued its report, “Our Common Future”. This
discussed the world’s forests, climate change and other global environmental and development issues. The report
introduced and defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
THIS IS HOW THE TRUNK IS USED
The smallest wood is used to make particleboard and chipboard. This timber, as well as small trees,
is also used as fuel.
Small trunk parts are used to make paper and also paperboard - from which cartons are made.
Thicker parts of the trunk are sawn into planks in the sawmill. Sawmill waste is used to make paper
and also paperboard - from which cartons are made. The bark is used as fuel or for garden purposes.
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
HOW DOES “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT” APPLY TO FORESTRY?
Sustainable forestry is, in the words of the European Agreement signed in Helsinki in 1993, “the stewardship and use
of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their bio-diversity, productivity and their potential
to fulfil, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national and global
levels, and that does not cause damage to other eco systems.”
According to this definition European forests used by the paper and board industry are sustainable. Every year new
growth exceeds the wood harvested. Forests offer a natural habitat to vast numbers and different species of plants,
animals and insects - they preserve this biodiversity and make a significant contribution to the maintenance of the
world’s gene bank.
CARTON &
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HOW CAN FOREST OWNERS PROVE THAT THEIR FORESTS ARE SUSTAINABLY MANAGED?
Forest owners wishing to demonstrate that their forestry management practices conform with the appropriate
standard can apply to independent, third party, auditing bodies, either PEFC or FSC for assessment and certification.
A number of assessment or “certification” schemes are in current use with over 70% of the forest area in Europe
certified, (Cepi). In 2020, 224 million hectares were certified through the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) scheme
and 320 million hectares through the PEFC scheme (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Systems).
Both PEFC and FSC overlap in the types of forest trees certified including large state owned forests to smaller private
and family owned forests.
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SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS
Forest owners can also apply for independently audited environmental management schemes. Examples of such
schemes are those based on ISO 14001 together with the EMAS scheme. A common feature of these schemes is a
commitment to continuous, demonstrable, environmental improvement.
WHAT IS MEANT BY “CHAIN OF CUSTODY”?
In order to demonstrate that wood originates from a certified forest, producers of forest products need a “chain of
custody” certificate. This provides traceability at each stage of processing.
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
FORESTS-
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CHAIN OF CUSTODY
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Sustainable
forest
management
Pulpmill Pulp
Paper & Board Paper & Board
Products
Certified
Products
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KEY FACTS
Forests are essential. They reverse the greenhouse effect, stabilise climate and water levels,
prevent soil erosion, store solar energy and preserve biodiversity. Forests also provide habitats
for animals, plants and insects, protect watercourses and help to preserve the landscape.
Sustainable managed forests are expanding. More trees are being planted than harvested across
Europe by an area equivalent to 1500 football pitches every day.
Between 2005 and 2020 European forests grew by 58,390 km 2 .
Over 70% of forests in the EU are certified under the FSC or PEFC. Forests and other wooded
land in the EU amount to circa 180 million hectares, making Europe one of the most forest rich
regions in the world. More than 42% of its land is covered by forests.
Most of the timber used in the cartonboard and paper industry comes from Europe.
Cartonboard, like all paper and board, is made up from cellulose fibre.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Pro Carton would like to thank the following companies for contributing both information and
images to support the creation of these Fact Files:
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