Publishers National Environment Bureau
In
a world-first, the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments have
endorsed a new five- year National Environmental Sustainability Plan by Australia’s
publishers for the continuing support and promotion of newspaper recycling.
It was submitted by the Publishers National Environment Bureau (PNEB) on behalf of Australia’s major newspaper and magazine publishing companies and Norske Skog Australasia, Australia’s domestic newsprint manufacturer.
The new newspaper recycling Plan, covering 2006 - 2010, follows three successive five-year Plans that have helped Australia achieve world-leading newspaper recycling rates, currently 74.5% (for 2004).
Frank Kelett, PNEB Executive Director said, “Considering unrecoverable newspaper (unavailable because of uses like fire lighting, paint drop sheets, weed mats and archiving) the actual recycling and reuse rate is more than 80%.
“The new Plan adds a new dimension to previous Plans by introducing sustainability undertakings by publishers, adding recycling of other materials used in newspaper production as well as water and energy conservation issues,” Mr Kelett said.
“The newspaper is a sustainable product. If it is recovered clean and dry, uncontaminated by organics, it can be re-used again and again in new newsprint. It is also an important ingredient in the Australian manufacture of cardboard, and other paper products such as egg cartons, home insulation and cat litter. Further recycled material surplus to Australian requirements is exported.
Mr Kelett said the original Industry Waste Reduction Plan for newsprint in 1991 was one of the first, if not the first, of its kind in Australia and had been the most successful with every recycling target exceeded. Over the terms of the three five years Plans to date, the industry had been able to demonstrate its commitment to Product Stewardship, setting a benchmark for industry.
Current members of the PNEB are:
- ACP Publishing
- APN Newspapers
- Independent Print Media Group
- John Fairfax Holdings
- Marinya Holdings (Rural Press)
- News Limited
- Pacific Magazines
- PMP Limited
- West Australian Newspapers
If you'd like to find out more about the Publishers National Environment Bureau, contact them on:
Address: |
GPO Box 5359 |
Telephone: |
61 2 9262 1164 |
Email: |
