NewPage Raises Awareness of Hidden Risks Associated with Imported Paper

NewPage, Miamisburg, Ohio, announced plans to launch its ‘Story’ marketing campaign and new Web site, www.PaperTellsAStory.com, to help educate consumers on the importance of knowing the manufacturing source of the paper used for their companies’ business printing.

“Giving the same importance to paper as we do to the food we eat or the clothes we buy, the goal of the ‘Story’ campaign is to get people thinking about the journey of a single sheet of paper, where the journey begins, [as well as] the sustainability and environmental practices of its manufacturer,” said Rick Willett, president and chief operating officer. “As a leading paper manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada, we feel it’s the responsibility of NewPage to dramatically raise awareness of the potential hidden risks associated with some Asian imports. A failure to ask some basic questions of your suppliers can lead to the very real potential that you are unknowingly importing a fair amount of risk along with your paper.”

Imports of coated sheet-fed paper continue to make their way to market in the U.S and Canada. In an era of heightened environmental consciousness, NewPage wants its customers to know that some Asian imports also potentially carry a much higher degree of risk-by-association based on questionable sustainability and environmental practices, logistics issues and labor practices. It is equally important to know that the true identity and manufacturing practices of many Asian producers are obscured by the use of private labels, so consumers may not even be aware they are using imported paper.

North American paper manufacturers are required to comply with strict environmental regulations, such as those enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and operate in a manner that is responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable. Additionally, NewPage adheres to a number of third party certifications, including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). NewPage buys wood fiber from private landowners and other certified, responsible loggers. NewPage does not source wood fiber from old growth forests, rain forests or forests of exceptional conservation value.