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NewPage Releases Sustainable Development Report

NewPage Corp., Miamisburg, Ohio, USA, this week released its 2010 Sustainable Development Report titled Big + Little. George F. Martin, president and CEO, noted that "as a pulp and paper producer, we strive to make sustainable practices -- big and little -- a part of everything we do at NewPage from responsibly managing and sourcing natural resources; to operating cost-effectively utilizing best practices; to producing dependable products that are transported efficiently; to collaborating with our customers to improve and grow our businesses; to giving back to the communities in which we operate.

"The report title, Big + Little, emphasizes that the path to sustainability at NewPage is not just one of big, global programs or small, individual actions day in and day out, but one that encompasses both," Martin added.

The 2010 report highlights the following achievements for each of these key areas:

49% of the fiber NewPage used came from certified and recycled sources and the company continued to support several initiatives to increase the amount of certified forest acreage in its wood procurement regions. Additionally, NewPage continued to work to promote responsible management of forests globally through initiatives such as Project POTICO (Palm Oil, Timber, Carbon Offsets) with the World Resources Institute (WRI) to combat illegal logging and preserve virgin rainforests in Indonesia by diverting new palm oil plantations to degraded lands.
51% of the energy used in 2010 was produced from biomass fuels, a renewable energy source primarily derived from the company's manufacturing byproducts. NewPage is actively researching and supporting new ways to generate renewable energy through a number of partnership projects such as a biorefinery in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., a wind farm in Mineral County, West Virginia, and a biomass cogeneration facility in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia.
Approximately 70% of ingredients used to manufacture NewPage products come from renewable resources such as wood fiber, recycled fiber, and starch. In 2010, products containing recycled fiber accounted for 16% of total sales, and chain-of-custody certified fiber accounted for 26% of total sales.
NewPage continued to invest in its employees through safety, training, and health and wellness programs. Capital of $68 million was invested in 2010 to make improvements in areas such as safety, equipment reliability, and product quality.

Nearly $1 million was contributed to charitable organizations and nonprofit strategic partnerships in 2010. In addition, employees donated countless hours to volunteer programs in their own communities.