Woolies move welcome but beware China's paper claims

Green Media release - 14th September 2007

The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by Woolies that they are ending their import of paper products sourced from clearing rainforest in Indonesia, after the Greens in New Zealand and Australia drew attention to the issue over the last few weeks.

But it is warning that sourcing alternative paper product from China, as Woolies have announced, is fraught as China is the number one destination for illegally logged timber.

"It is a small victory for sustainability that Woolies have ceased stocking the Select brand of tissues that were labelled as sustainable but were in reality from clearing rainforest in Sumatra," says Dr. Russel Norman, Green Party Co-Leader.

"But the announcement that they are sourcing new paper product from China needs to be examined closely.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry issued a report* last month that identified China as the biggest destination for illegally sourced logs and timber.

"Forests are being cleared throughout Asia and the Pacific and being fed into the Chinese paper industry.

"According to the MAF report, 50-90% of all logging in PNG and the Solomons is illegal and China is the importer of about 75% of those logs.

"Good on Woolies for withdrawing the unsustainable products but be careful of paper products coming out of China."

* Turner, J. Katz, A. and Buongiorno, J. (2007) Implications for the New Zealand Wood Products Sector of Trade Distortions due to Illegal Logging. A Report for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, pp.17-18. World Bank (2006), Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance, p.20.

ENDS

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