Posts Tagged ‘deforestation’

Mattel Shifts to Greener Packaging

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

greenpeace barbie ken mattel rainforests 300x155 Mattel Shifts to Greener Packaging

Responding to a campaign by Greenpeace, toy giant Mattel announced Wednesday that it will stop buying paper and packaging from Asia Pulp and Paper. The environmental group has linked Asia Pulp and Paper to rain forest deforestation in Indonesia.

Going forward, Mattel will increase the amount of recycled and sustainable fiber used in its packaging and products. The move will focus on using post-consumer recycled content whenever possible and avoiding virgin fiber from controversial sources. The toy maker also said it intends to increase the amount of recycled paper it uses, and to increase the use of wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

By the end of 2011, 70 percent of Mattel’s paper packaging will be made from recycled material or sustainable fiber. It aims to raise that to 85 percent by the end of 2015.

Mattel’s earlier environmental changes included eliminating plastic-coated wire ties that used to be used to secure Barbie dolls and other goods to their boxes. That effort was spearheaded by Wal-Mart.

Indonesia has one of the fastest rates of forest destruction in the world. Indonesia’s rain forest, the largest in the world after those in the Amazon and the Congo, is home to orangutans, tigers, elephants, clouded leopards and scores of other endangered plants and animals. The Indonesian government estimates that nearly 2.5 million acres of rain forest is being lost every year, according to Greenpeace.

Unilever’s Packaging to be 100% Sustainable

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Unilever 270x300 Unilevers Packaging to be 100% Sustainable

Unilever, a founding member of the SPC (Sustainable Packaging Coalition), has released its Sustainable Paper and Board Packaging Sourcing Policy that outlines their paper sourcing goals over the next decade. Packaging News reported that currently, 62% of Unilever’s paper and board is sustainably sourced. The company set a target to source 75% of its paper and board from sustainably managed forests by 2015, reaching 100% by 2020. This initiative is part of the company’s commitment to help combat deforestation and climate change. Unilever says they’re the first global FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) company to commit to sustainable sourcing within a defined timeframe.

Sourcing preferences will be awarded to supplies delivered through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) although Unilever will also accept paper and board from other sources adhering to their policy’s implementation guidelines. The policy also requires all suppliers to have mechanisms in place to ensure that the paper packaging is made from recycled fiber or from virgin fiber sources and that virgin fiber comes from forests that are not being converted to plantations or non-forest use.

Unilever will also add certification logos to its product packaging for environmentally conscious consumers who want to be able to identify them.

More info:
Unilever Packaging Sustainability