Eucalyptus Pulp & Paper in Spain: towards sustainability

A couple of weeks ago ASPAPEL (Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Pasta, Papel y Cartón) made public the Second Edition of a Sustainability Report (PDF, 5.2 MB) summarising the state-of-the-art for the Pulp & Paper industrial chain in Spain for the triennium 2004-2006.

This report is the result of a Public Consultation Process involving not just the Spanish Pulp & Paper Industry but also representative stakeholders concerned by sustainability as governmental agencies, large paper consumers, landowners, trade unions, non governmental organisations and universities, whose proposals and concerns have been incorporated into the current edition or have positively contributed to the addition of new criteria & indicators for a better monitoring of the sector within the frame of this ongoing participatory process.

ASPAPEL - Papermaking Sustainability Receipt 2008
(Click image to download, PDF 5.2MB)

The opinions and contributions made during the Consultation Process were assessed, validated and verified as accurate and relevant by Bureau Veritas Certification, an independent third party with the role of securing neutrality of all contributions and providing a guarantee of transparency and traceability for the information and data processed.

Many of the macro-magnitudes presented in this report throw some light on key points for Spanish Pulp & Paper Industry Sustainability, as size of timber resources and timber sourcing rates, employment statistics for supply chains, sustainability of forest management practices, positive externalities derived from carbon sink effects, greenhouse gas emissions at mills, water & chlorine use, progresses with ISO & EMAS environmental management systems at industrial processes, residues and subproducts of pulp and paper-making, fibre recycling and a long etc.

EUCALYPTOLOGICS' staff frequently receives inquiries from concerned citizens worldwide about the sustainability of Eucalyptus cultivated forests wondering if the information provided by some media and some of the commonly spread general knowledge are accurate enough. It has been estimated there are some 300 myths on Eucalyptus cultivation that do not resist a logical examination or should at least be put into quarantine status.

Due to the insistence of one of our worried readers, there it goes a first batch of commented macro-magnitudes (facts) in a group of seven.

EUCALYPTUS "TAKING OVER THE WORLD"? Nope.

MYTH: Eucalyptus monocultures are taking over and destroying natural forests in Spain
FACT: +50% cellulosic pulpwood is produced in just 3% of Spanish forestland

Fig. 1: Forestland acreage in Spain and pulpwood resources (Click image to enlarge)



SPANISH FOREST INDUSTRY "PULPING THE SOUTH"? Nope.

MYTH: Spanish Pulp & Paper Industry is "Pulping the South"
FACT: 75% of mill capacity in Spain is fulfilled with locally grown timber, majority of which is Eucalyptus

Fig. 2: Timber resources used by Spanish pulp & paper industry. (Click image to enlarge)


GROWING EUCALYPTUS IS EVIL? Nope.

MYTH: Eucalyptus cultivation only creates irreversible negative environmental impacts
FACT: 1 hectare of Eucalyptus cultivated forest stores 580% more CO2 than the average hectare of forestland in Spain

Fig. 3: CO2 storage in Spanish forestlands. (Click image to enlarge)


EUCALYPTUS PULP MILLS ARE "ECOLOGICAL CRIMINALS"? Nope.

MYTH: Spanish pulp & paper industry is too pollutant and must be closed or relocated

FACT: 93% Cellulosic pulp mills in Spain are into Sustainability & Environmental Certification Processes for their factory processes and supply chains

Fig. 4: Custody-chain certified pulp mills and supply chains in Spain. (Click image to enlarge)


GROWING EUCALYPTUS IS NEGATIVE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? Nope.

MYTH: Eucalyptus cultivation is an environmental catastrophe

FACT: Professionally managed Eucalyptus cultivated forests in Spain are certified to a 94% by third parties as sustainably managed under PEFC or FSC standards

Fig. 5: Sustainable management certification impact on industry managed timberland acreage. (Click image to enlarge)


EUCALYPTUS PULP MILLS WASTE AND POLLUTE WATER WITH NO CONTROL? Nope.

MYTH: Eucalyptus pulp mills are voracious consumers of water beyond what is acceptable
FACT: Eco-efficiency policies at Spanish pulp & paper mills yielded 1 million extra tonnage and 41% less water use since 1992

Fig. 6: Trends of water consumption and waste water generation at Spanish pulp & paper mills (1990-2006). (Click image to enlarge)

We are firmly convinced a good amount of myth propagators are just missinformed individuals with a narrow view of forestry in general and the interconnections of forestry, environment, industry and ecology in particular.

EUCALYPTOLOGICS must contribute to a proper dissemination of sound information and to the education of general audience on these important topics no matter if at local, regional, national or global scale. And renewable, recyclable and sustainable primary resources as Eucalyptus timber is can achieve the category of strategic from many standpoints. Our overpopulated greenish Gaia needs of a wise use of its finite resources to support itself in the long term or it will perish.

GIT's Eucalyptology Topics

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