APRIL Loses FSC Certification

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Asia Paper Resources International Limited (APRIL), Indonesia, this past week reportedly had its FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) controlled wood certification suspended. Issued through the Rainforest Alliance's Smartwood certification program, the certificate was said to have been temporarily revoked after APRIL was found to have violated FSC's controlled wood standard, including prohibitions against conversion of rainforests to create acacia plantations and destruction of High Conservation Value Forests, including peatlands. With loss of the FSC certification, Indonesia's top two pulp and paper companies that account for 80%-plus of the country's production capacity have failed to meet the third party certification. FSC reportedly disassociated itself from Indonesia's top pulp and paper producer, Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), in 2007.