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		MACtac Europe's FSC® and PEFC certifications

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Mactac views environmental responsibility as an integral part of good corporate citizenship and an essential consideration in the products we manufacture, the processes we employ and the research and development activities we carry out.
The following general principles summarize our commitment to sound environmental practices.

READY FOR REACH

REACH is the European Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of CHemicals, that has come into force in June 2007, aiming in view to improve protection of human health and environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. Other aims of REACH are the promotion of alternative test methods, the free circulation of substances on the internal market and enhancing competitiveness and innovation.

MACtac Europe S.A. has followed the REACH process since the publication of the White Paper in 2001 and has always been involved in its different steps, being aware of the obligations that are ours as a downstream user of chemical substances.

At this stage, MACtac Europe S.A. confirms that all the substances we use have been pre-registered and we communicate thereupon with our customers.

PURITY

In all of our products, we strive to use environmentally responsible materials. We have developed a comprehensive range of products which contribute to protect the environment such as cadmium free PVC films and chlorine free papers.

We continuously ensure that our share of pulp consumption comes from certified forests and actively contribute to the forest certification process.

Several of our suppliers’s paper mills have already obtained the PEFC and / or FSC® certificate of its chain of Custody and more paper mills are expected to be certified very soon.

MACtac Europe is now proud to announce its official FSC® / PEFC certifications for its industrial site of Soignies (Belgium) and its major subsidiaries in Europe.

ADHESIVES

Whenever possible we design our products to avoid the use of solvent based adhesive in function of the product performance expected by customers. That is why we have developed a whole range of emulsion based and hot melt adhesives which do not contain solvents nor any hazardous products. These adhesives are real alternatives to traditional solvent based adhesives. In case of demanding product performance, our selfadhesive product constructions include solvent based adhesives with very low quantities of remaining solvents.

PACKAGING

Our product packaging has been limited to what is absolutely necessary to keep the finished product clean and secure during transportation until it is used by the Converter. Our packaging items are made of homo geneous materials, making packaging waste easily recyclable or reusable and in compliance with the European regulations (European Directive 94 / 62 / EG).

HIGH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

We are commited to operating clean, safe, energy-efficient manufacturing facilities, and work to comply with or exceed community, state and EEC standards. For example, we recover, recycle and re-use most of the solvents used in the adhesive coating process of some product lines. MACtac has been one of the first self-adhesive products manufacturers to install solvent recovery units.

SOURCE REDUCTION

We are commited to the elimination of unnecessary packaging, where applicable, and to the reduction of manufacturing waste and emissions through: equipment advances, process changes, employee programmes. Since 2005 we have reduced our power consumption by 14 %, our gas consumption by 25 % and our water consumption by 39 % per sqm of laminate manufactured.

PRODUCT RECYCLING

Our solid manufacturing waste is sorted out (cardboard, paper, metal, wood, plastics) to maximize waste recycling. After the primary mission of our products is complete, most are recyclable into similar or other usable products. Our products and packaging are permanently adapted to make them easily recyclable by up-to-date recycling techniques.

ENERGY RECYCLING

With current technologies, most of our products can be safely incinerated. Because of the high BTU value of our papers and plastic materials, these products can greatly improve combustion and help create a more efficient incineration process or be used as fuel by some industries like cement factories. When recycling is not technically acceptable, our products can be landfilled.

LANDFILL

Our products are generally light-weight, low volume and compactible, thereby providing a significant source reduction in landfill disposal over heavier, bulkier materials.

SMOKE AND EFFLUENTS

Emission of harmful products (e.g. smoke) has been reduced to minimal quantities according to the EEC regulations.

While only a small quantity of effluent water is used per sqm of laminate produced, effluent water is treated on site according to the strictest local legislation.

 MACtac sponsors the "Wind Day"

 
Pursuing its protection of the environment policy MACtac Europe has sponsored the decoration of the wind mills recently in Belgium.
Four meters high digital graphics have been applied on the pillars of the wind mills installed in the Walloon region. The wind mills park was inaugurated during the "Wind Day" organized by the European Community. Taking advantage of their meeting in Brussels, Ministers for the Energy of the member states have visited the wind park and observed the high degree of professionalism of the installation.

This event was coupled with a contest for school children on the protection of the environment and prizes were presented by representatives of the Ministry for the Environment taking advantage of an exhibition on clean energy.

MACtac sponsors the "(Ant)Arctic Matters" exhibition

The “(Ant)Arctic Matters” exhibition presents an artistic view of the fascinating but precarious beauty of the North and South poles. Created in Belgium the exhibition will travel all over the world in the next three years.