Hachette Book Group Goes Green

Posted on December 2, 2009

Hachette Book Group has announced a new, green policy of using more recycled paper, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using paper that's been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Publisher's Weekly reports:

The policy has both long-term and short-term targets. By 2012, Hachette plans to raise the use of recycled fiber from 3% to 30%, with a majority of the fiber to be postconsumer. Hachette also intends to have FSC-certified papers account for at least 20% of paper use by 2012. 2020 is the target date for Hachette to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and to reduce its carbon footprint 2% per year off of a 2008 baseline.
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Other aspects of the environmental policy include avoiding the use of paper sourced from any ancient or endangered forests, using paper that has been bleached without the use of chlorine, and using inks with low contents of volatile organic compounds. Hachette also hopes to reduce the number of books in landfills by improving projections of consumer demand, increasing the use of on-demand printing, and working with retailers to lower returns.

The company is really serious about environmental issues. Vice president of inventory and procurement Peter Datos is the new chairman of the Book Industry Environmental Council. Hachette is the first major publisher to sign the Book Industry Treaties on Responsible Publishing.