Paper industry claims to more recycling<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The country's pulp and paper industry claims it is utilizing
\nmore used paper as raw material in line with the recycling trend
\nin the global business.<\/p>\n
However, environmentalists refuted the claim, saying the
\nindustry still relied on illegally cut wood.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association Muhammad
\nMansur said the Indonesian pulp and paper industry had been
\npracticing recycling for years and used paper now accounted for
\nabout 50 percent of the raw material used by the industry.<\/p>\n
\"Almost half of the paper used in Indonesia is made of
\nrecycled paper and the trend continues to rise by 5 percent to 10
\npercent of national paper consumption per year,\" said Mansur.<\/p>\n
Mansur said that the recycled paper was mostly used in
\nprinting, various manufacturing companies, and service
\nindustries, because it was cheaper and environmentally friendly.<\/p>\n
\"Most newspapers use recycled paper while many kinds of paper,
\nsuch as medium liners, crash liners and cardboard which are used
\nin industry, are made from used paper. The pulp and paper
\nindustry no longer has to answer to the accusation that they are
\ndestroying the environment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mansur added the fact that over half of the paper used
\nworldwide, including in Europe, the U.S., and China, was
\nrecycled, had motivated Indonesia's industry to also utilize used
\npaper.<\/p>\n
However, Longgena Ginting, executive director of the
\nIndonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), refuted Mansur's
\nstatement, saying used paper accounted for only 10 percent of the
\nindustry's raw material.<\/p>\n
\"The remainder is from natural forests and the firm's
\nindustrial forests. Sadly, wood from natural forests, which has
\nbeen illegally cut, accounts for 40 percent of their raw
\nmaterial,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government has reduced the logging quota for all forestry-
\nrelated industries to 5.7 million cubic meters this year, from
\n6.89 cubic meters last year as part of the efforts to curb the
\ncountry's alarming deforestation rate.<\/p>\n
The move has sparked protests from plywood and furniture
\nindustries, which claimed that their business has been hard hit
\nby the supply shortages caused by the policy.<\/p>\n
Mansur played down the impact of the reduction of logging
\nquota on the country's pulp and paper business and the allegation
\nthat the industry used illegally cut wood.<\/p>\n
He said aside from used paper, the industry has enough raw
\nmaterial supplies from its own industrial forests.<\/p>\n
There are seven pulp and paper producers in Indonesia, which
\nproduce a combined 7.5 million tons of paper and 6 million tons
\npulp a year. The companies are Toba Hutan Lestari, Indah Kiat,
\nRiau Andalan, Lontar Papirus, Tanjung Enim Kertas, Kiani, and
\nKertas Kraft. They sell about 60 percent of their paper products
\nlocally and export the remainder.<\/p>\n
He said that none of the companies had problems with raw
\nmaterials as they had planted between 200,000 to 300,000 hectares
\nof forests each. The seven firms have been awarded with a total
\nof 90 million hectares in concession areas, while the areas that
\nhave been planted with trees for harvesting by the firms total 2
\nmillion hectares.<\/p>\n
Indonesian's pulp and paper exports decreased significantly
\nfrom US$213.5 million in January to $78.6 million in February,
\naccording to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).<\/p>\n
However, Mansur, describing the decline as \"a seasonal drop\",
\nadding he believed Indonesian exports would grow this year.<\/p>\n
\"We believe that this year's exports will increase to US$3.2
\nbillion from US$3 billion last year,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Pulp, paper and paper product exports<\/p>\n
Year export volume export value
\n2002 3.4 million tons US$2.7 billion
\n2003 3.5 million tons US$3.0 billion
\n2004 3.6 million tons US$3.2 billion
\n(forecast)<\/p>\n
Indonesian pulp and paper producers<\/p>\n
Company Location<\/p>\n
Toba Hutan Lestari North Sumatra
\nIndah Kiat Riau
\nRiau Anadalan Riau
\nLontar Papirus Jambi
\nTanjung Enim Kertas South Sumatra
\nKiani Kertas East Kalimantan
\nKertas Kraft Aceh<\/p>\n
Source: the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/paper-industry-claims-to-more-recycling-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }