Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Manufacturing
Our impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions starts in the forest, well before our manufacturing process. As trees and forests grow, they remove CO2 from the atmosphere, and convert it into organic carbon, stored in woody biomass. Trees release the stored carbon when they die or decay, or are combusted for energy. As the biomass releases carbon as CO2, the carbon cycle is completed. When woody biomass derived from sustainably managed forests is used for energy, the emissions have no net effect on the atmosphere and are thus called carbon-neutral. International Paper emitted approximately 34 million metric tons of carbon-neutral biomass CO2 in 2013, and our use of biomass energy avoids emissions from more carbon-intensive sources like fossil fuels.
In addition to the use of biomass, we also have the ability, through the onsite creation of electricity and steam, to produce a sizable portion of the electricity we need. Additional fuels are purchased to meet our energy needs. Our 41 mills consume more than 95 percent of International Paper’s total energy and generate 90 percent of our fossil fuel GHG.
Our GHG emissions are classified as either Scope I or Scope II. Emissions from burning fossil fuels are considered to be Scope I while emissions from generating purchased electricity at off-site utilities are considered Scope II. Our Scope I emissions also include relatively modest and stable emissions from International Paper–owned and –operated landfills at our paper mills.
Our goal for a 20 percent GHG emission reduction by 2020 was set as a combination of both Scope I and Scope II emissions. On-site generation of GHGs has been trending downward, and continued in that direction in 2013, falling an additional 7 percent. Scope II emissions were up 4 percent from our 2010 baseline and 8 percent year-over-year. Total reduction of Scope I and II from the baseline was about 5.8 percent in 2013.
Several mills contributed to this progress by improving their energy efficiency, and their stories are shared in more detail in the energy efficiency section. We are also realizing benefits by replacing fuel oil and coal with natural gas. Both coal and natural gas are fossil fuels, but natural gas generates half the CO2 of coal on a same-energy-content basis.
In Brazil, International Paper invested $90 million in a new biomass boiler at our Mogi Guacu Mill, led by Mill Manager, Luis Cesar Assin. Burning biomass reduced the need for on-site combustion of fossil fuel, and nearly 200,000 tons of fossil fuel based GHGs were converted to carbon-neutral biomass in 2013 from this project.
Where applicable, International Paper sells Renewable Energy Credits at a number of our global integrated mills.
Once our paper and paper-based packaging is manufactured, it is a relatively stable medium that does not emit greenhouse gases while in use. With the exception of wood pulp sold into the absorbent hygiene markets, most of the products we manufacture are readily and frequently recycled. International Paper operates an extensive recycling collection and reuse system. (See the section on Recycling & End-of-Life).
Once the paper or pulp has been manufactured, it is sold to our customers or converted by International Paper into a variety of products. Rolls of white paper, for example, are sold to large printing firms, or cut to size at our locations or at the converting operations of our customers. Linerboard can be converted in International Paper container plants to make shipping containers or the linerboard can be sold to other converters. Across our company, International Paper has more than 200 converting locations.
Emissions from transporting to converters are considered Scope III emissions. If the site is owned and operated by International Paper, the energy used to convert the paper into a product is considered part of International Paper’s Scope I and Scope II emissions. Individually, our 200 plus converting operations contribute on average about 5,000 tons of emissions, but collectively they emit approximately 1.5 million tons. Over time, their emissions also have trended slightly downward by approximately 3 percent.
Other Air Emissions- Criteria Pollutants
For the past four years fuel-switching, particularly away from coal and oil, resulted in significant reductions of our other air emissions; this included a 25 percent reduction in SO2 and a 10 percent reduction in NOx for an overall reduction of 14 percent for the criteria pollutants addressed in the air emissions goal. We believe our gains will continue as more fuel-switching, energy efficiency projects and regulatory changes are expected in the next five years.