Green Bay Packaging Wins 2019 AF&PA Sustainability Award for Water

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) recognized Green Bay Packaging with the 2019 AF&PA Leadership in Sustainability Award for Water for their Water Reduction Achievements at Green Bay Mill. The award was presented at AF&PA’s annual meeting on Friday, Nov. 8 in Bluffton, South Carolina.

“By maximizing water reuse and recycling, Green Bay Packaging minimized their environmental footprint per ton of paper production, optimized energy savings and benefited their community by being a responsible water steward,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. 

Green Bay Packaging’s 100-percent recycled linerboard and medium mill in Green Bay, Wisconsin initiated water reuse practices, equipment investments, technology installations and chemistry changes that resulted in water efficiencies and reductions. Between 2005 and 2018, the mill achieved a 15 percent reduction in overall water use and an 18 percent reduction in water use per ton of paper production, while increasing production by 10 percent. Improving water reuse and recycling also reduced energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions, and provided resource savings to the community.

“We thank AF&PA for recognizing our water program reductions,” said Green Bay Packaging President and CEO William Kress. “Sustainability is key to the operational excellence we continue to strive for at our Green Bay Mill.”

The 2019 AF&PA Sustainability Award winners were selected by a judging panel of sustainability experts from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy; the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University; GreenBlue; Quad Packaging; Two Sides; and the U.S. Department of Energy.

AF&PA’s annual awards are designed to recognize exemplary sustainability programs and initiatives in the paper and wood products manufacturing industry and are given based on the merit of entries received across multiple categories. 

Projects that support progress toward the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goals qualify for recognition in the “Leadership” category, which has five subcategories that correspond to the goals: Energy Efficiency/Greenhouse Gas Reduction, Paper Recovery for Recycling, Safety, Sustainable Forest Management and Water. The “Innovation in Sustainability” award is reserved for projects that merit recognition for their contribution to sustainable business practices, not one of the goals specifically.

AF&PA’s 2018 Sustainability Report showed that the U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry has made significant, measurable progress toward achieving its Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goals. For more information, visit afandpa.org/sustainability.

Editor’s Note: Click here to retrieve photos (caption included) of the award winners.