The Quebec pulp and paper industry is over 100 years old. And we’ve come a very long way from our roots.
Thanks to technological innovations and constantly evolving and improving processes, the paper that has been a part of your daily life since primary school is now far ahead of its time. In fact, today 99% of businesses depend on us, the forestry sector, for certified sustainable production and conservation of our forest ecosystems.
Our industry has the environment at its very core
Paper is made from a vegetable fibre called cellulose. In the past, we extracted this fibre in large quantities directly from the wood, which we harvested expressly for this purpose. But over time and with greater knowledge, the transformation processes have been refined. More and more, the pulp and paper industry is reducing its environmental impact, and today, not a single tree from our public forests is cut for the sole purpose of making paper.
Now, it is entirely possible to make paper using wood by-products from sawmills, such as wood chips. This is without even accounting for the recycled fibres made from the cardboard, newspaper and paper you put in your recycling bin every single week.
White paper is greener than ever
Paper manufacturing has also made significant advances when it comes to innovations that respect the environment. For processes such as bleaching, traditional procedures such as chlorine have taken a back seat to cleaner methods. It’s not only cleaner but also more economical, resulting in significant waste reduction.
For example, by introducing inexpensive minerals to the pulp, we get better quality paper all while using less raw materials. Now that’s what we call a win-win situation.
With all of these anti-waste solutions and ecological innovations of the past few years, the paper industry has become a leader in the green economy. And the progress has only just begun. For example, the energy recovery from residues, such as bark, are now being used to produce the necessary energy for the paper production process.
So, the next time you play rock-paper-scissors, think twice. Your paper is a whole lot stronger than you think.