Gretchen Spear, Manager

1
COG Recycling Committee Meeting

• Gretchen Spear, Manager
• Recovered Fiber Packaging
• American Forest Paper AssociationMarch 19,
  2009

2
About AFPA

• National trade association of the forest products
  industry, representing pulp, paper, packaging and
  wood products manufacturers, and forest
  landowners. 
• The forest products industry accounts for
  approximately 6 percent of the total U.S.
  manufacturing GDP.
• Industry companies produce 200 billion in
  products annually and employ more than 1 million
  people earning 54 billion in annual payroll.
• The industry is among the top 10 manufacturing
  sector employers in 48 states.

3
Paper Bag An Environmental Success Story

• National Recovery Rate 36
• Made of Recycled Content
• Fixture in Community Recycling Programs
• Compostable and Biodegradable
• Made from a Renewable Resource
• Carbon Sequestration

4
Where Are We today?

• State and Local Legislation Proliferating
• Many initiatives include both paper and plastic
  bags
• AFPA opposes legislation that unfairly taxes
  paper bags

5
Why Do We Oppose Legislation?

• Environmental Record
• Commitment to Recycling
• Utilization of Recovered Material
• Renewability
• Compostability

6

• Questions?