Sappi launches a new generation paper

The Sappi Typek recycled paper.

Typek Recycled is the first office paper in South Africa with a 50% recycled content.

Sappi Fine Paper South Africa, a division of the global Sappi group, has announced the launch of a new generation of office paper, Typek Recycled. The paper, which will be available through both the wholesale and retail trade, is the first of its kind in South Africa. It is manufactured using 50% recycled content and 50% virgin wood fibre derived from independently-certified and sustainable sources, offering end users an environmentally-sound choice without compromising on quality.

Sappi's Technology Centre is located at The Innovation Hub as the first anchor tenant at the Science Park. "Following on the recent launch of our integrated Triple Green environmental practice at Sappi Stanger Mill, Typek Recycled is another landmark in the group's commitment to manufacturing premium-quality paper in an environmentally-sound way," says Albert Lubbe, Sappi Fine Paper South Africa's Managing Director.

"We can now offer users a paper with a high percentage of recycled material that is nevertheless as white and as bright as ordinary office paper - a new solution in papermaking."

The 50% recycled content of Typek Recycled comprises 30% post-consumer waste - mainly de-inked pulp - and 20% post-industrial waste. The virgin content is derived from sustainable tree plantations that comply strictly with the international Forestry Stewardship Council's (FSC) guidelines.

"Sappi tracks and verifies the sources of all incoming fibre to ensure that it has been produced in renewable tree plantations and has not been derived from ancient, indigenous or rain forests," says Lubbe, "a process that is independently overseen and audited."

Typek Recycled is also chlorine-free and is packaged in boxes that themselves contain more than 60% recycled content.

During manufacture, the pulp is bleached using an elemental chlorine-free (ECF) process, which is benign to the environment. This also results in a paper that is more easily recyclable, ensures maximum use of raw materials and complies with the stringent environmental regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"Most importantly, Typek Recycled also complies with the Polokwane Declaration's objectives," says Lubbe, "and so supports government's commitment to developing a zero waste society by 2022."

The historic Polokwane Declaration, which was signed in September 2001 at the First National Waste Summit, acknowledges that waste management is a high priority for all South Africans. Amongst other things, it commits participating manufacturers to developing and using cleaner production technologies.

"Recent technological and product developments at Sappi clearly demonstrate the group's commitment not only to meeting the objectives of the Polokwane Declaration, but to exceeding them in line with our own policy of sustainable development."

The challenge for Sappi, of course, was to produce a paper that not only meets the highest of environmental standards, but which still provides the same superior quality Sappi paper is known for worldwide.

"From a technical and quality point of view, no compromises have been made," says Lubbe. "Typek Recycled is ISO 9001:2000 certified and offers 150 CIE whiteness. And it can be used in exactly the same way as ordinary office paper in ink jet laser and commercial printers as well as high speed copiers."

Typek Recycled is being marketed to corporate, business, institutional and general users.

"Corporations and large companies, in particular, can now choose an environmentally-sound, locally-manufactured office paper for their office stationery and printing needs," says Lubbe. "We feel this will be especially important to all the companies listed on the JSE's Social Responsibility Investment (SRI) Index, as well as to other companies pursuing or already implementing sustainable development principles."

Typek Recycled is available countrywide, in A4 white only, and will be packaged in a distinctive green wrapper carrying the familiar Typek logo as well as the international recycling logo.

For supplies of Typek Recycled, kindly contact leading paper merchants such as Antalis +27 11 688 6000, Peters Papers +27 11 677 9000 and Finwood +27 11 248 7800.

Article sourced from www.sappi.com

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