Environment
At NPIL, we are committed to the environment and assume responsibility for the environment we manage, the resources we use and what we leave behind. Our processes are certified according to internationally recognised environmental standards – TELARC ISO 14001 standards for environmental management, Eco Choice Aotearoa, and Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Chain of Custody (C019095).
Environmental Certifications
Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) – Independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation that promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests, and provides internationally recognised forest certification.
TELARC – New Zealand’s leading certifier of quality, environmental, food and occupational health safety management systems.
Eco Choice Aotearoa – The official environmental label for New Zealand. The ECNZ ecolabel offers strong proof of environmental performance.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)
Formaldehyde Emission Standards
Formaldehyde is present in many everyday items including wood, foods, and even occurring naturally in the oxygen we breathe. Formaldehyde is also produced in the production of building materials and wood products, particularly GoldenEdge MDF. Research carried out in conjunction with resin suppliers has resulted in significant reductions in formaldehyde levels of GoldenEdge MDF. Production for special markets is made to low fuming levels similar to the formaldehyde levels found in natural wood products. Monitoring shows the level of formaldehyde from production processes is well below recommended levels and is often no different upwind or downwind of the plant. The prevailing wind disperses gases in a way which renders them harmless.
NPIL can produce GoldenEdge MDF at E1, E0, or SE0 standards, making our products environmentally certified and highly reputable in significantly reducing formaldehyde levels.
- The Super E0 (SE0) product range is made with very low formaldehyde emissions, similar to levels emitted from kiln dried wood. In 2005, NPIL became the first MDF manufacturer to offer only products that meet the JIS F**** standard to the Japanese market.
- NPIL is registered under the CARB system through the CARB PHASE 2 certification. required in the United States of America. CARB stands for the California Environmental Agency. Its control measures, put in place in 2008, have been adopted across North America to reduce emissions from composite wood products including MDF. Meeting the CARB emission standard meant making some minor changes to the recipes of products, putting a tighter testing regime in place and adding a new system of accreditation for staff. Complaince is tested quarterly by a third party.
Environmental Management
NPIL structures environmental management practices around four core tenets; raw materials, energy management, control and monitoring, and our carbon footprint. Key to this is maintaining an environmental management system that complies with ISO 14001, provide ongoing assurance that we consistently comply with all relevant government and local body requirements and with other compliance obligations which we commit to.
Nelson Pine Industries was the proud recipient of the 2012 EECA Energy Award for its moves to save electricity through modifying and enhancing its production systems.
- “The Nelson Pine Industries energy saving project sought to win hearts and minds – on the shopfloor and in management – and demonstrated an understanding of culture, and the courage to design and implement energy efficiency while managing risks to product quality”.
- Judging Panel, EECA Energy Awards 2012.
Raw materials
NPIL has an annual on-site capacity to produce 350,000 m3 MDF and 80,000m3 LVL. We have the capacity to process up to one million m3 of radiata pine which represents around one-third of the region’s annual sustainable harvest.
Producing MDF uses up to 700,000 tonnes of wood annually, from the residue of logging from renewable pine plantation forests. The LVL production process uses an additional 200,000 tonnes of annual wood resource. Raw material for LVL requires a higher grade of log due to the structural capabilities of the end product.
Our raw material is sourced from sustainable radiata pine plantation forests, all situated in the Nelson/Marlborough region. New Zealand radiata pine is suitable to be processed in approximately 26 years, making it favourable as a substitute for slow growing timbers. With oversight from our local radiata pine suppliers, we can ensure the sustainability and reliability of supply of radiata pine for the long-term future. The raw material obtained from local Nelson forests is then segregated based on grade and used in one of two production processes; to make GoldenEdge® MDF or NelsonPine® LVL.
More information on environmental subjects, in printable form for school project use etc, can be found at Education Downloads.
