Environment

Deforestation increases worldwide, we are destroying forests

FACT: Source: (UNECE/FAO: Global Forest Resource Assessment 2005)

Forests cover 4,000 million hectares: 30% of the Earth's land surface (more than half a hectare per capita: 0.62 hectare per capita).

The deforestation rate decreases, the annual decline in global forest area, which in 1990-2000 was 8.9 million hectares per year, has fallen to 7.3 million hectares per year in 2000-2005.

In Europe and Asia, forests are growing: En Europa en el periodo 2000-2005, los bosques crecen a un ritmo de 660.000 hectáreas anuales. In Asia in the period 2000-2005, forests grow at a rate of 1.003 million hectares annually.

Spain is becoming a desert, and there are almost no forests

FACT: The largest forest areas in Europe are Russia, Sweden, Finland, Spain and France (UNECE / FAO: Global Forest Resource Assessment 2005).

In Spain, the forests have increased from occupying 13.5 million hectares in 1990 to 16.4 million hectares in 2000 and 17.9 million hectares in 2005 (UNECE / FAO: Global Forest Resource Assessment 2005).

The annual felling of wood in Spain for all uses account for 2.3% of the wood stock and 30% of the increase of wood.

To make paper forests are destroyed.

FACT: Deforestation is mainly due to the conversion of forests into agricultural land (UNECE / FAO: Global Forest Resource Assessment 2005).

Paper is NOT made using hardwood from exotic species of tropical forests, beech or oak.

To make paper there is use wood of fast-growing species (in Spain, mainly eucalyptus and pine), that is cultivated by this purpose in forest plantations, which would otherwise not exist.

The Spanish paper industry produces annually about two million tons of pulp annually, for which it uses about six million cubic meters of eucalyptus globulus and pinus radiata grown for that purpose in forest plantations, which are performed and maintained for this use.

Plantations increase the forested area in Spain; thanks to the paper production there are 430,000 hectares of pine and eucalyptus trees.

There are many plantations, are destroying forests

FACT: In the world of productive forest plantations (timber and fibre for paper and other uses) occupy 109 million hectares, only 3% of total forest area (UNECE/FAO: Global Forest Resource Assessment 2005).

In Spain, pine and eucalyptus plantations for paper, according to industry data, occupy 430,000 hectares, ie 2.4% of the total forest area (17,9 million hectares of total forest area in Spain by UNECE/FAO).

Plantations of fast growing species, precisely because of this peculiar feature, produce as much wood in the smaller area and thus help preserve forests.

Plantings were made in land that is vacant because of the abandonment of agricultural crops, so that through the wooded area plantations increases.

The plantations are harmful to the environment

FACT: Plantations help preserve forests: plantations of fast growing species occupy 6.7% of the forested area of Spain and produce 57% of the wood used in our country for all uses.

Plantations, CO2 sinks: plantations of fast-growing species (eucalyptus, pine ...) due to this peculiar feature are great CO2 sinks and help to stop the climate change. Recent studies show that once the forest reaches maturity, it ceases to fix carbón; so these productive plantations are the environmental opportunity. The 430,000 hectares of pine and eucalyptus for paper, stored 50 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, with an annual increase of CO2 saved of 2.6 million tons (Ministry of Environment. Directorate General for Biodiversity).

The paper CO2 store: carbon storage is not released with the cutting of tree, but remains in forest products. For example, in the books, the paper is stored for decades and generations in our libraries. And by recycling paper is widening within the sequestration. A kilo of paper stored 1.3 kilos of CO2.

Less erosion and more water: plantations allow effective control of soil erosion due to its roots, and help regulate the water cycle with branches and leaves that retain water so that rain hits the ground with less force, remains on the surface and penetrates into deeper layers.

Forest Certification: plantations are managed sustainably, ensuring the maintenance of their ecological, social and economic functions, which is certified through forest certification systems such as PEFC, FSC...

In Spain we recycle very little paper

FACT: In Spain, in 2008, were collected and recycled 5 million tons of paper used: were recovered and recycle over 70% of paper consumed.

The growth in paper recovery in recent years was been very important, going from 1.7 million tonnes in 1990 to 3.3 million tonnes in 2000, and up to the current 5 million tons.

The Spanish paper industry is the European leader in waste paper recycling: for every ten kilos of manufactured paper in Spain there is used, as raw material, 8.5 kilos of paper.

The Spanish paper industry ensures the recycling of all waste paper that is recovered in Spain.

You must use only recycled paper. Only recycled paper is ecological

FACT: The cellulose fibre from wood, a renewable and natural resource, is the basic raw material for papermaking.

By recycling prolongs the life of the cellulose fibre and produced a cycle of exploitation of this natural resource.

When the cellulose fibre is used first in the manufacture of paper, is called virgin fibre. When recycling through the same fibre pulp is reused several times in succession, is called reclaimed or recycled fibre.

This use cycle needs to incorporate a certain amount of virgin fibre to stay in operation since:

- Pulp fibre gradually deteriorates each time it is used. It is estimated that it can be reused around six times.

- About 19% of paper used can not be recovered for recycling due to various causes. Sometimes simply because we keep it, as with books, documents and photos we have at home or are kept in archives and libraries. Other times because, due to its use are damaged or destroyed, such as toilet and sanitary paper.

There are certain types of paper, for the purpose for which they are intended, need to offer some features that only virgin fibre provides for these roles is preferable to use virgin fibre that is built into the process of recycling.

The best contribution of responsible citizen paper consumption is its collaboration with the recycling process, separating the paper from other waste and depositing it in the blue containers.

Recycling paper saves trees

FACT: The paper is made from cellulose fibre from plantations of fast growing species for this purpose and would otherwise not exist, so it's not true that recycling paper we saves trees.

Paper recycling reduces landfill itself and the emissions they produce: the 5 million tons of waste paper recovered for recycling each year in Spain represent savings in landfill volume equivalent to 50 large football stadiums like the Bernabeu or Camp Nou filled to the brim.