<B>AFPA Completes Industry Environmental, Health and Safety Report</B>

The American Forest and Paper Association completed a report on industry environmental, health and safety performance.

The report describes efforts by member companies through 1999. It includes data on facilities’ operations, manufacturing and distribution, employee education and training, support of research and development, and efforts at energy efficiency, among others.

Examples of improvements, according to the AFPA, include a 44 percent reduction in wastewater per ton of production since 1975, decreases of 65 percent for sulphur dioxide and 23 percent for nitrous oxide emissions since 1980, and a 53 percent reduction in fossil fuel and purchased energy consumption per ton of output since 1972.

Additionally, the report notes that work-related injuries and illnesses at AFPA member companies are much lower than national averages for the industry as a whole.