An Indonesian pulp mill criticised for its logging practices said a new forest management policy will exceed any of its previous commitments. Source: ABC
Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) produces almost 3 million tonnes a year from the world’s largest integrated pulp mill in Sumatra’s Riau province.
APRIL is Indonesia’s second largest pulp and paper maker.
In 2011, the ABC exposed destructive logging practices by the company. It prompted Australian outlets of Fuji Xerox and Officeworks to stop stocking its products.
The company responded, saying it observed responsible practices in line with Indonesian government policy, but it wasn’t good enough for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The Geneva-based organisation said it has reviewed APRIL’S membership because of consistent concerns raised by peer companies and non-government organisations since 2010.
On December 18, 2013 the Council shifted APRIL’S membership to probationary status for 12 months and added in a statement that “APRIL’S membership of the Forest Solutions Group (of the WBCSD) is suspended because of current non-alignment with its membership principles.”
On January 28, APRIL issued its revamped Sustainable Forest Management Policy.
Phil Aikman, senior forest campaigner with Greenpeace International is sceptical of the timing and said the policy will not protect forests.
“What they’re doing is trying to buy time to continue clearing with a view to becoming 100% plantation fibre by the end of 2019. That effectively means that they’re going to continue clearing in their concessions this year and it looks as though they are going to continue to source fibre from rainforest up until the end of 2019,” he said.
In a press release, APRIL said: “this policy exceeds any commitment we have ever made, and the Stakeholder Advisory Committee ensures it will be implemented transparently.”
APRIL said it will only log plantation timber from 2019, will not extend its plantation area after this year and will double its forest restoration program to 40,000 hectares.
Greenpeace’s Phil Aikman said the company has failed to meet previously set targets.
“Its operations have been going on for well over a decade in Indonesia and they’ve established a pulp mill without enough plantation fibre.
“So they’ve basically been clearing a lot of peat forest and a lot of other rainforest, important habitat for tigers etcetera. And they’ve been basically trashing these rainforests to feed their mill.”
“I think it’s good they’ve announced (the new policy) but the content is inadequate. We’ve had at least two meetings with them since last July. In each attempt we’ve raised our issues and they’ve failed to listen to us and they’ve failed to listen to many NGOs in Indonesia. So they’ve got a lot to prove.”
