Great news for the State of Washington and Grays Harbor Paper. State moves to 100% recycled paper. Grays Harbor Paper continues to grow green jobs in a community with over 14% unemployment. Grays Harbor Paper’s motto is People, Planet, Paper.
Grays Harbor Paper, a Family owned business, has invested in and reinvigorated on old mill in an effort to take blue collar jobs and create green jobs. It has over 230 jobs in Grays Harbor County. The green paper bill will ensure we save jobs in a County which has 14% unemployment. Grays Harbor Paper produces it’s own power to manufacture it’s “Harbor 100″ paper which is fossil fuel free using biomass.
“Harbor 100″ is FSC Certified and made using 100% post consumer paper fiber. All of Grays Harbor Paper’s industrial waste is land applied on a local farm instead of going to a landfill.
Washington State continues to lead the nation in greening up government processes by becoming only the 3rd state in the nation to move to 100% green recycled paper.
See the following Press Release from OLYMPIA.
Under a new law signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire, Washington State agencies and college campuses will be greener and leaner than ever in using paper products – further advancing state recycling and sustainability goals dating to the late 1990s.
Bill Quigg, owner of Grays Harbor Paper, said: “Washington State continues to be a leader in reducing its carbon footprint while creating jobs. Our company and our employees are proud to live and work here, and we look forward to producing the fully recycled paper that Washington needs.“
At the same time, the new law creates a strong market incentive for paper mills to invest in technology and process innovations that will create blue-collar jobs in one of Washington’s oldest industries – paper making.
Washington already has a state-of-the art paper mill in Hoquiam that is qualified to sell paper products to state government under the renewable energy preference standard in the new law.
Grays Harbor Paper L.P. manufactures environment-friendly paper products, including a line that is uncoated, 100 percent recycled, and chlorine-free.
The refitted mill – which traces its history to 1929 – generates its own power from an energy-efficient turbine that uses wood waste to create steam that generates electricity. It’s certified as using renewable energy for its operations. It currently employs 231 workers.
“This new law is a win for the State of Washington,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire. “It saves money for taxpayers while reducing waste. In addition, it encourages innovation and job growth. With a growing market for recycled paper products, our Washington paper mills will create living-wage jobs to produce the paper products we need in today’s world.”
