Paper and cardboard manufacturing carbon emissions reduction
How paper and cardboard producers can reduce their impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
Cutting your carbon emissions can help you to comply with legislation as well as reducing your costs and your impact on the environment.
There are a number of government initiatives to encourage paper and cardboard businesses to use fossil fuels more efficiently and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include:
- Emissions Trading System (UK ETS)
- climate change levy
- climate change agreements
Find out more about carbon emissions trading and reporting schemes.
Check if the UK ETS applies to you
Paper and cardboard installations are required to reduce CO2 emissions under the UK ETS. You must have a UK ETS permit if your business:
- produces pulp from timber or other fibrous materials in industrial plant
- produces paper and board in an industrial plant that has a production capacity of more than 20 tonnes per day
- carries out combustion installation activities with a rated thermal input exceeding 20 megawatts
Reduce your Climate Change Levy (CCL) bill
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Reduce your bill by using renewable energy and improving your energy efficiency.
Your business may be able to take advantage of a climate change agreement made between the Confederation of Paper Industries and the government. This agreement could allow you to claim an 80 per cent discount on your CCL if you achieve agreed targets for improving energy efficiency.
Improve your energy efficiency
The paper industry is an energy-intensive sector. You can save money and help the environment by taking steps to reduce your emissions and energy use.
Find out more about how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
Use renewable energy
Reduce your carbon emissions by using energy from renewable sources.
Buy your energy using:
- green tariffs where the provider buys the same amount of energy you use from a renewable source such as a wind farm
- green funds where the provider invests money into researching or setting up renewable energy projects
You might be able to participate in local community renewable energy schemes.
Generate your own electricity using wind, solar or other renewable energy sources.