Australian pharmaceutical packaging, labelling and printing company Stirling Fildes has brought to the pharmacy retail market what is believed to be the world's first carbon neutral paper bag.
The bags are manufactured by Stirling Fildes using carbon neutral MG bleached paper launched last year by Australian Paper. The paper is certified to the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS), which is the Australian Government certification that sets the requirements for achieving carbon neutrality.
To date, Australian Paper has sold 50 tonnes of the new carbon neutral grade packaging paper, with a further 40 tonnes on order. One tonne of the paper equates to around 200,000 bags.
The new bag also contains recycled paper locally made at Australian Paper's Maryvale Mill in Victoria. The mill is currently undergoing a $90 million expansion to enable it to triple production by 2014 (PKN, November/December 2012, p.7).
The managing director of Stirling Fildes, Adrian Willougby, said the company's decision to use the paper for its bags stemmed from a desire to set an example in sustainable practices.
“By offering this first, we remain a market-leader in the pharmacy retail packaging industry, while helping to reduce our carbon footprint,” Willoughby said.
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“We have a responsibility to provide sustainable packaging options for our customers who will ultimately reap the benefits. The opportunity to work with Australian Paper is very exciting and we look forward to building on a better environmentally-friendly and sustainable range of products.”
Australian Paper chief executive, Jim Henneberry, said the NCOS-certified paper will benefit buyers with carbon neutral procurement policies in their organisation.
“Australian Paper has always been an innovative, forward thinking company and the creation of this product further evidence that we are a frontrunner in the industry,” he said.
“Our customers want environmentally acceptable, advanced paper choices they can be proud of and we have listened and answered their needs with this packaging paper option.
“This product gives companies and consumers the option to help the environment by reducing their carbon footprint through use of the unassuming paper bag”.
BJ Ball will be the exclusive distributor of the carbon neutral bags in Australia.
"We are excited to be part of the supply chain for this world first carbon neutral product and applaud both Australian Paper and Stirling Fildes for their commitment to sustainable manufacturing and procurement,” BJ Ball Papers national sales manager, Luke Wilkinson, said.
The managing director of Stirling Fildes, Adrian Willoughby, with his company's new carbon neutral paper bag.
