Sumatra, Carbon stock, Biodiversity loss, Pulp & paper, APRIL, australia, business, buyer, deforestation, fuji xerox, logging, paper, pulp, rainforest, Sumatran tiger,
(Herald Sun / AAP, 4 Aug 2011) -- Environmentalists have praised Fuji Xerox for cutting ties with a big paper manufacturer accused of wrongfully logging Indonesian rainforests.
Fuji Xerox Australia announced today it will no longer be doing business with Asia Pacific Resources International (APRIL), which owns one of the world's largest paper mills.
Fuji Xerox managing director Nick Kugenthiran said fresh allegations of APRIL unsustainably clearing forest land in Sumatra was the final straw after months of doubts.
ABC's Foreign Correspondent program on Tuesday aired allegations APRIL is building plantations at an highly destructive rate, with question marks over the acquisition of permits.
"Over the past eighteen months we have been concerned with the lack of progress with regard to APRIL's logging practices in Indonesia," he said in a statement.
"Our concerns were grave enough for us to take steps in June 2011 to review our relationship with APRIL.
"Due to these concerns and further issues brought to our attention, we have made the decision to cease all procurement with APRIL."
Comment was being sought from the company.
Greenpeace and the forestry union also welcomed the announcement, and urged other retailers, such as Officeworks - which buys APRIL products - to follow its lead.
"Other Australian companies and retailers need to take a good hard look at where their pulp and paper products come from," Greenpeace's Reece Turner said.
Both the federal government and its consumer watchdog has been asked to investigate the illegal logging claims, to which APRIL has yet to respond.
(Taken from Herald Sun/ APP, 4 Aug 2011)
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