Paul Oosting MR
“While Nippon and Oji have been lying about the amount of recycled paper they use, it is likely they have been making up the difference by buying Tasmanian woodchips sourced from endangered species habitat,” said Paul Oosting pulp mill campaigner for The Wilderness Society.
Media Release- 23rd January 2008
JAPANESE PAPER SCANDAL – PAPER MAKERS FRAUD CONSUMERS
Tasmanian woodchips used instead of recycled paper?
Japan’s two biggest paper companies Nippon and Oji are at the centre of a major national scandal after it was revealed that they have been falsifying the amount of recycled paper they use in their branded “recycled” paper range. Nippon Paper’s president has resigned and both companies are facing a major consumer backlash in Japan, with Fuji Xerox having indicated they will withdraw Nippon’s recycled paper line from sale. Other sellers are expected to follow suit.
Nippon and Oji are the major buyers of woodchips from Tasmania’s native forests through Gunns. Another Japanese buyer of Tasmanian woodchips, Mitsubishi, agreed in 2004 to “switch to secondary and plantation forests for woodchip sources as soon as possible”. However, both Nippon and Oji have so far been unwilling stop buying woodchips from Tasmania’s oldgrowth forests.
“While Nippon and Oji have been lying about the amount of recycled paper they use, it is likely they have been making up the difference by buying Tasmanian woodchips sourced from endangered species habitat,” said Paul Oosting pulp mill campaigner for The Wilderness Society.
“In addition to calling on Nippon and Oji to honestly use recycled paper as feedstock in their paper mills, Japanese consumers should also insist they stop sourcing wood from Tasmania’s native forests,” said Mr Oosting.
A recent court challenge to logging in the Wielangta forests in south east Tasmania, whilst unsuccessful in stopping forest destruction did see the courts agree that habitat of endangered species such as the giant Tasmanian wedge-tail eagle are being destroyed, largely for woodchip export by Gunns.
“The Wielangta appeal judgement makes it clear that logging legislation in Tasmania is not protecting and was not designed to protect the environment.In continuing to buy Tasmanian woodchips, Japanese paper companies are supporting these destructive logging practices,” said Mr Oosting.
“Logging in Tasmania has been internationally condemned for the unsustainable practices of clearfelling ancient forests, poisoning native wildlife with 1080, logging in sensitive areas such as community water catchments and deliberately burning vast areas of logged forest”
“Logging Tasmania’s carbon-rich forest is driving climate change through the release of huge stores of greenhouse gases. Japanese consumers can help the global fight against climate change by insisting Nippon and Oji take the lead from Mitsubishi and end sourcing wood from Tasmania’s oldgrowth forests,” concluded Mr Oosting.
