Toxic Release Inventory | Recycling

Taking The Long View

The Northwest Pulp and Paper Association and our member mills are committed to a philosophy of environmental, social and economic balance over the long term. We believe that balance is critical to allow pulp and paper mills and other manufacturing industries to produce essential products, create jobs and meet the technological and financial challenges of minimizing pollution and conserving our clean air, fresh water and other natural resources for current and future generations.

In the past two decades, pulp and paper mills and other forest products manufacturers have made great strides in reducing air and water emissions. For example, the industry has reduced its sulfer dioxide emissions by 66 percent and cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 30 percent.

Balance vs. Extremism
NWPPA and its members remain committed to a collaborative process as the best way to resolve regulatory issues. We believe that is the best hope of achieving our goal of sustainable, balanced, science based policies and regulations that protect the environment without putting mills out of business, employees out of work, and stripping our communities, our schools and state agencies of tax revenues needed to fund essential services.

Despite our best efforts to achieve such a balance, lawsuits and political pressure from extremists have resulted in an onslaught of environmental laws and regulations expected to consume up to 28 percent of the industry’s capital spending through 2004. Many foreign competitors are not incurring comparable regulatory costs, making it more difficult for the United States pulp and paper industry to compete.