The European kraft paper and paper sack industry has put further efforts into improving its carbon footprint. The latest carbon impact analysis on European paper sacks carried out by the Swedish research institute RISE on behalf of the European Paper Sack Research Group (ESG) – a collaboration between EUROSAC and CEPI Eurokraft – shows the significant progress made in recent years. By EUROSAC, France.

Analysis into the carbon footprint of European paper sacks has been carried out by the Swedish research institute RISE using two different methods. Both calculations are based on tools developed by the International Confederation of Paper and Board Converters in Europe (CITPA) and by the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI).

• As the first step, a cradle-to-gate calculation of the fossil carbon impact of sack kraft paper and paper sacks was carried out following the CEPI and CITPA  guidelines established in 2007.
• In the second step, the study included the total carbon impact (ie, fossil carbon emissions, biogenic carbon emissions and biogenic carbon removals).