Environmental Certifications and Labels

On-going transparency

Arjowiggins Graphic believes certifications are an integral part of environmental responsibility throughout the paper production process and an important part of encouraging world-wide regulated standards.

Arjowiggins Graphic’s labelling initiative is particularly important since it forms part of our overall transparency policy. Each and every label and certification that our products obtain is a validation of the work we have done, and encourages us to maintain our environmental focus. Labels in use in the paper industry relate to forest management, manufacturing processes, deinking methods and the life cycles of products. They involve all aspects of what we do.

How Our Environmental Calculations are made

Water and energy savings are based on a comparison between a recycled paper manufactured at Arjowigins Graphic mills versus an equivalent  virgin fibre paper according to the latest European BREF data available (virgin fibre paper manufactured in a non-integrated paper mill).  CO2 emission savings is the difference between the emissions produced at  an Arjowiggins Graphic mill for a specific recycled paper compared to the manufacture of an equivalent virgin fibre paper. Carbon footprint data evaluated by Labelia Conseil in accordance with the Bilan Carbone® methodology.
Results are obtained according to technical information and are subject to modification.

Landfill savings: Savings are made by recovering waste paper instead of it being sent to incineration or landfill. This calculation takes into account the entire de-inking process. At the end of its life, paper that is either sent to landfill or incineration produces greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide or methane) during its deterioration. Methane is proven to be 25 times more noxious than carbon dioxide in regards to the greenhouse gas effect. This is the reason why it is essential to recycle and give paper a second life.

CO2 emissions savings: CO2 emission savings is the difference between the emissions produced at  an Arjowiggins Graphic mill for a specific recycled paper compared to the manufacture of an equivalent virgin fibre paper. The carbon footprint is evaluated by Labelia Conseil in accordance with the Bilan Carbone® methodology. The results are obtained according to technical information and subject to modifications.

CO2 emissions equivalent savings: These are translated into kilometres with the calculation based on a lower-end car: 100 g CO2 / Km.

Water consumption savings: The comparison between water consumption used to produce a virgin fibre paper in a non integrated paper mill (Sources : BREF) and the water consumption needed to produce a recycled paper in Arjowiggins graphic paper mills

Energy consumption savings: The comparison between the energy consumption used to produce a virgin fibre paper in a non integrated paper mill (Sources : BREF) and the energy consumption needed to produce a recycled paper in Arjowiggins graphic paper mills

Wood consumption savings: The savings made by using recovered waste paper instead of virgin fibres. Finally the results are calculated by taking in consideration the savings for 1 tonne of recycled paper compared with 1 tonne of virgin fibre based paper. This also takes into account the level of ash and fibre.

Focus on Labels and certifications

• FSC ® - Many of our products hold the FSC® Recycled certification. This guarantees the source products we use come from 100% recycled materials that are at least 85% post-consumer. Meaning they are produced from paper which has been used by the consumer, collected, sorted and recycled through an industrial process.
• EU Ecolabel - The EU Ecolabel helps consumers to identify products and services that have a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle, from the extraction of raw material through to production, use and disposal.
• ISO 9001- International Quality Management Standard
• ISO 14001 - Internationally recognised environmental management standard. Based on the principle of continual improvement, it aims to identify, verify and reduce a business’s environmental impact.
• ISO 50001 - supports organizations in all sectors to use energy more efficiently, through the development of an energy management system (EnMS).
• ISO 9706 - International standard for archive papers.
• OHSAS 18001 - International occupational health and safety management system specification.
• Blue Angel - This eco-label endorsed by the German Ministry for the Environment is designed as a response to the issues of both environmental protection and consumer protection. It requires the use of recycled fibres 100% post-consumer and prohibits the use of optical brightening agents.
• Process Chlorine Free – Paper is manufactured without the use of chlorine. Our papers are Process Chorine Free (PCF) rather than Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) or Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) as we cannot guarantee that the paper we are recycling did not contain chlorine.
• Heavy Metal Absence – Papers do not contain heavy metals.
• PAS 2020 - a management standard that comprises a series of environmental objectives, performance levels and indicators which set out how to create and manage an  environmentally responsible direct marketing campaign.
• Food Contact  Approved (ISEGA)  – Papers approved to come into contact with foods.
• Archive suitable (DIN 6738) – guarantees the longevity of the paper for archiving.

Certification is not an aim or an end in itself – it is a means of confirming that the approach we have adopted is the right one. We are not simply content to meet the specifications with which we need to comply in order for our products to be awarded certain labels: we are striving to develop our own virtuous circle
Gilles Lhermitte, Head of Sustainable Development, Arjowiggins Graphic