Environment

Environment and sustainability

As one of the largest producers of panel products in Europe, we have a responsibility to be at the forefront of initiatives that tackle today's environmental challenge. That's why, as the environmental impact of deforestation became clear, we led the UK industry towards FSC® certification. What's more, our European operations were amongst the first in the world to produce FSC-certified panel boards.

What the FSC stands for

The FSC product label allows consumers worldwide to recognise products that support the growth of responsible forest management. As the marketplace becomes increasingly environmentally aware, many demand the FSC mark on their wood products. With Norbord it comes as standard on a large proportion of our products.

Sustainable forestry

Norbord is dedicated to producing board from sustainable sources of wood only. All of the wood we use comes from responsibly managed forests, or from recycled material. What’s more, the majority of our European manufactured products are from forests certified to Forest Stewardship Council standards. By insisting on FSC-certified sources, we help protect the world’s ancient forests.

How sustainable forestry benefits the environment

Young, fast-growing trees are the lungs of the world, breathing in carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen. By replanting trees, sustainable forestry ensures that more oxygen-emitting woodlands are created every year.

Manufacturing to minimise impact

Environmental accreditation

All of Norbord’s manufacturing plants have obtained the coveted environmental ISO 14001 accreditation. We have an open approach to business and welcome environmental auditors to our manufacturing facilities regularly. That way, there is always something better to strive for and a new standard to set.

Reducing fossil fuels

In 2000, Norbord entered into an agreement with the UK government to reduce fossil fuel usage by 10% by 2012. By the summer of 2007, the majority of Norbord's mills in Europe were firing up on biomass - burning excess timber residues produced on site - and helping to reduce the company's dependence on energy generated using fossil fuels.

Norbord has achieved a 45% reduction in fossil fuel combustion in the past five years and, when the programme is complete, 80% of our heat requirements used in the wood fibre drying process will come from biomass sources.

Relying on renewables

At Norbord, 75% of the energy used to produce our wood panel products is derived from renewables - residues left over in the manufacturing process. As a whole, Norbord uses 1.5 million metric tons of biomass every year for energy – that’s the equivalent of about two million barrels of oil.

For more information visit: www.betterbyfar.org