Responsibility
At Boise Inc., we take our responsibility for protecting the environment seriously:
- Protecting air and water quality near our manufacturing sites, and conserving water resources we share with the communities where we work and live.
- Responsibly using energy and fiber resources.
- Reducing, reusing, and recycling manufacturing and finished product waste materials.
- Collaborating with others by listening to and acting on constructive ideas to demonstrate our commitment.
Air and water quality and use
Making the paper and packaging products our society needs and wants requires processes that affect air and water near our manufacturing sites. Boise Inc.’s dedicated employees protect air quality near our production sites and rigorously clean the water (effluent) used in manufacturing before it is returned to nearby rivers or streams.
Our manufacturing operations consistently meet or exceed tough standards set by multiple and complex state and federal environmental regulations.
Proof of performance: Air and water quality
- Our paper mills conserve the amount of fresh water they take in by reusing water several times. Significant energy savings also result when we avoid having to heat additional fresh water for use in our processes.
- We have a $4.5 million grant from the Washington Department of Ecology to implement a cold water aquifer storage and recovery system at our Wallula mill. The project will allow us to reduce consumption between 3 million and 5 million gallons per day, a 10% to 15% reduction. A pilot project is planned for 2010; regulatory approvals of the full-scale project are pending.
- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency presented a Certificate of Commendation to recognize employees for oustanding operation, maintenance, and management of the mill's wastewater treatment system in International Falls. We earned this award in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, and 2008.
Fiber and energy use
Our manufacturing operations require substantial energy and wood resources. In addition to helping protect the environment, wisely using these resources is in Boise Inc.'s best economic interest. Efficiently and responsibly using energy and wood resources keeps our operating costs lower and ensures that we sustain the natural resources essential to our business. This underlying economic link makes our commitment to environmental sustainability a natural priority for us.
Proof of performance: Fiber
Although we don't own timberlands, we track our wood fiber resources to ensure the raw material we purchase and finished products we make meet rigorous environmental standards.
- Our wood procurement practices are audited by an independent third party and certified under sustainable forestry certification standards.
Proof of performance: Energy
Reducing energy use directly impacts our use of fossil fuels and purchased electricity and helps reduce our GHG emissions and our manufacturing costs.
- We reduced total per-ton energy use by 2% from 2007 to 2009.
- We produce 65% of our own energy from our own renewable resources - primarily wood-based biomass - up from 57% in 2000.
- We reduced fossil fuel use per unit of paper and packaging production by about 27% from 2002 to 2009 by improving energy efficiency and increasing use of renewable biomass-based fuels.
- We generate approximately 27% of our own electricity on site, using steam turbine generators, and, at one site, hydroelectric generation.
Waste materials
According to the EPA, waste in landfils the largest human-related source of methane and carbon dioxide gas in the U.S., otherwise known as greenhosue gases (GHG).
Effectively reducing and reusing waste in manufacturing processes and recycling material reduce the need for “virgin” (never-before-used) materials, a goal that often makes both environmental and economic sense.
The challenge is to eliminate as much waste as possible while productively reusing the waste that cannot be eliminated, thereby reducing our costs and the amount of material sent to landfills. Processes can be changed to more efficiently use raw materials, thereby reducing the byproducts left over as waste. Products can be engineered to use manufacturing waste and waste from finished products – wood, paper, plastics, etc.
Proof of performance: More waste kept out of landfills
We put 63% of the residuals generated by our paper manufacturing processes to beneficial reuse in 2008, with about 37% disposed in landfills. The recovered pulping and wastewater treatment residuals and boiler ash are reused to:
- Generate our own renewable energy for manufacturing processes.
- Provide wood ash to farmers free of charge to enrich agricultural land.
Proof of performance: Recycling plastics
One thousand pounds of plastic are recycled every two weeks at no charge - saving us disposal costs and keeping material out of the landfill near our corrugated products plant in Salem, Oregon. We partnered with a local company to recycle plastic material that used to be disposed of as waste, cutting the number of garbage pickups in half. The recovered plastic is repurposed into plastic lumber, poly-fil fiber, and nursery trays.
Commitments
At Boise Inc., we reach out to others to ask for opinions and feedback on our environmental practices. We listen to and act upon constructive ideas to demonstrate our commitment and improve our environmental performance. We believe it’s important for us to listen to and collaborate with others.
Proof of performance: Commitments
Industrial Footprint
Our paper mill in Wallula, Washington, voluntarily participates in the Washington Department of Ecology Industrial Footprint program. It's designed to improve environmental performance and help regulators set baselines that address environmental, economic, and social impacts of industrial operations.
Industrial Footprint website
E-mail: Sustainability
Boise helped develop the Paper Life Cycle tool, an online resource enabling companies and consumers to make informed environmental decisions about the paper products they purchase, use, and sell. Visit the website:
