Domtar Unveils 'Green' Publication Paper Line

Domtar Inc. has launched plans for a new line of environmentally responsible paper for publishers seeking more options in 'green' publishing.

The announcement was made during the 128th annual Paper Week. Domtar EarthChoice offers 13 uncoated and coated papers for book covers, magazines and annual reports. The Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program certified each of the grades in the line, which contain some post-consumer recycled content, that comply with the environmental and social standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

The pulp used to produce the line of environmentally friendly papers is extracted from FSC-certified forests in Ontario and the Adirondack region of New York state. Most of the EarthChoice line will also contain some post-consumer recycled content, Rainforest Alliance officials say.

"By creating a product line that offers so many options, Domtar has taken a huge step forward in making certified papers a mainstream choice," says Liza

Murphy, forest products marketing associate of the Rainforest Alliance.

"Sending the message that certified papers are widely available in such a concrete way marks the next step in developing a market that enables environmental stewardship while supporting sustainable business practices in one of the most basic of business needs."

"The papers in the Domtar EarthChoice line are in harmony with environmental protection and reflect Domtar's quest to address corporate end-users' needs for products that are endangered-forest friendly and endorsed by an environmental group," says Raymond Royer, president and chief executive officer of Domtar.

Domtar, a member of the Boreal Leadership Council, manages 22 million acres of forestland in Canada and the United States, and owns 11 paper mills. The company plans to submit all 17.6 million acres of the land it manages for FSC assessment by the end of 2006.