E N V I R O N M E N TA L I N F O R M AT I O N

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Raw Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Residual Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Milestones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

C O N T E N T S

Contents2

The photos on the cover and on pages 2 and 5 were taken in the areas surrounding our plants in Oberkirchand Kehl. The Koehler Photo Club was kind enough to let us use them.Photo on cover page: Achim Nimmergut

Kai FurlerCEO

The Koehler Paper Group produces morethan 500,000 metric tons of specialty papersand cardboard every year for global distribu-tion. As an industrial company, we’re awareof our unique responsibility towards ourcustomers, our employees, society, and theenvironment. Our operational guidelines aredefined in Koehler polices and the Koehlerguidelines and are binding for everyone.

Each and every human activity has animpact on the environment. To ensure long-term economic growth and the well-beingof people and society, the company andits employees need to promote efficient useof natural raw materials, environmentalprotection and management.

The environment and profitability have equalstatus in our management system.

With certification in accordance with theEN ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001,ISO 27001, and IEC OHSAS 18001 standardsas well as with PEFC and FSC® (C016508),all important processes are defined andtransparent. The effectiveness of ourmanagement system is regularly certified byindependent, external auditors and furtherdeveloped by internal auditors.

Our awareness of our responsibility doesn’tend with the compulsory fulfillment of alllegal requirements, but extends far beyond,which is what we want to talk about in thisbrochure.

Koehler Paper Group 3

F O R E W O R D

Dr. Stefan KarrerCOO

Frank LendowskiCFO

Pulp is the most important raw material whenit comes to producing paper. We only use pulpsupplied by manufacturers that can provideproof of sustainable forest cultivationand environmentally friendly production. Itoriginates from responsibly managed forestsand plantations as well as sawmill remnants.All pulp is certified (PEFC and/or FSC®). TheEU Timber Regulation (EUTR) also went intoeffect in March 2013 and was transposed intonational law through the German TimberTrade Protection Act, which requires us toensure that the wood products (pulp) we usedo not come from illegal forestry.

At our Greiz plant, recycled paper is producedusing waste paper, which is why The BlueAngel adorns most Euler products. Our

youngest subsidiary, the KATZ Group inWeisenbach, uses domestic woods such asspruce and fir sourced from thinning forestryin the production of its pulp.

Raw materials are valuable and in short supply,which means we have to conserve all resources.

A variety of specialist departments con -tinuously assess the environmental relevanceof all other raw materials using a certifiedapproval process. An assessment system thattakes into account wastewater-relevant para-meters is used to determine potential effectson wastewater quality. This process wasdeveloped internally in collaboration with theapproval authority and is considered to be anindustry benchmark.

Raw Materials4

R AW M AT E R I A L S

Pulp warehouse in Oberkirch

We’ve managed to reduce specific waterrequirements in Oberkirch by more than30% since 2003. With as little as 4 liters ofwater per kilogram of paper in Kehl, ourconsumption levels are some of the lowest inEurope.

A chemical management system developedby Koehler has made a major contribution topreventing pollution of waterways, making itpossible to detect critical input materialsearly on, limit their effects, and selectpotential replacement materials.

Today, nearly a billion people don’t have accessto clean drinking water – that’s one in sevenpeople.

Wastewater is purified at our in-housetreatment plants. Thanks to continuousoptimization in several biological treatmentstages, the purified wastewater falls belowthe legally required threshold values – and insome cases far below.

Company patents and developments inwastewater have led to an increasinglyeffective use of resources for the good of theenvironment.

Koehler also generates eco-friendly energywith five of its own hydroelectric powerstations in Lautenbach, Hubacker, Oberkirch,and Weisenbach.

Water 5

WAT E R

Photo: Klaus Dieter Freund Summer fun on the banks of the Rhine, just a stone’s throw from the Kehl plant.

The company’s own combined heat and powerplant in Oberkirch generates the requiredenergy, with efficiency levels of over 89%possible. The circulating fluidized bed com -bustion, one of the most modern power planttechnologies, and efficient filter technologyensure results well below the legally requiredand very stringent emission threshold values.Burning alternative fuels such as residualpaper fibers and energy-rich secondary fuelsrather than fossil fuels also reduces CO2emissions.

Biomass CHP plants at the Kehl factory ensurea carbon-neutral supply of the required baseload of heat. Powered by eco-friendly naturalgas, the existing in-house process steamgenerators cover peak steam requirements.

The demand for energy is increasing around theworld, which is why energy prices will continueto climb and efficient energy management willbecome more and more important.

Using alternative fuels and the steam suppliedby the biomass combined heat and powerplants of the Koehler Group’s own B E B – BioEnergie Baden GmbH has reduced CO2 emis-sions in Oberkirch and Kehl by more than80,000 metric tons a year.

Internal working groups for reducing energyrequirements manage an ongoing improve-ment process that has made it possibleto lower specific energy consumption perkilogram of paper by over 20% in comparisonto 2003. Technically complex heat recoveryplants at all sites help to ensure efficientuse of energy. More than 40% of heatrequirements across the Group are alreadycovered by renewable energy.

Energy6

E N E R G Y

Biomass combined heat and power plant in Kehl

Avoiding waste is a top priority for us.Recycling production waste follows the prin -ciple: refrain, reduce, reuse.

We aim for thermal recovery internally ifwaste cannot be reused, which helps us tosave energy and ultimately reduce CO2.

We only commission certified specialists todispose of residual materials, while externaland internal audits ensure a high degree ofsafety when it comes to disposal.

Our goal is to dispose of waste locally, whichmeans we help the disposal company with anyauthorization processes and the correcthandling of the materials in question. Thesurrounding municipalities offer Koehler theopportunity to incinerate its sledge, which is

also better for the environment, as there’s nolonger a need to distribute the sledge on thesurrounding fields.

Every German produces approximately 460 kg ofwaste a year.

The central Kahlenberg waste treatment plantin Ringsheim converts waste materials intoalternative fuels for use at the Oberkirchpower plant.

Up to 25% of the thermal output of thecombined heat and power plant in Oberkirchis covered by alternative fuels. The highpercentage of biogenic materials has made itpossible to replace coal, thus reducing CO2emissions by approximately 18,000 metrictons a year.

Residual Materials 7

R E S I D U A L M AT E R I A L S

Combined heat and power plant in Oberkirch

Koehler papers are exported worldwide, whichcompels us to choose eco-friendly modes oftransportation. We have taken a major step inthis direction by moving certain transportroutes from the road to the water.

Most of our goods destined for sale overseasare transported by barge or train, with a focuson the most eco-friendly version of bargetransport.

When procuring raw materials, rail and waterare also the preferred methods of transportwhen technically possible.

When it comes to international transport bytruck, we ensure that the vehicles used meetthe Euro 5 standard at the very least. We’realso always optimizing vehicle capacity, whichhelps to reduce CO2. In fact, we’ve managedto reduce CO2 emissions significantly by morethan 15% over the past five years. If at all

possible, we also opt for alternative transportoptions such as short sea transport, combinedtruck and rail transport, and lightweighttrailers.

More and more goods and people are beingtransported over ever-greater distances in shorterperiods of time around the world, increasingemissions that are harmful to the environment.

But we also think about the details. In fact,our fleet only features low-emission vehiclesand employees often cycle longer distanceson the company grounds. Autonomous,battery-powered reel transport systems andmany electric forklifts are used in the produc-tion halls.

Intensively using new media (Internet, tele-communications, and interactive discussions)reduces the need for travel.

Transport8

T R A N S P O R T

Container loading at the Port of Kehl.

At Koehler we don’t just talk about environ-mental protection, we actually do somethingabout it. The environmental awards accu -mulated by the Koehler Group over the yearsfor its responsible approach to the environ-ment are proof of our high environmentalstandards.

You’re not only responsible for what you do, butalso what you don’t do.

Because our sites are located in close proximityto people and nature, we have specialres ponsibilities. Conserving all resources isin extricably linked with our efforts to safe -guard the future of our company.

We work closely with regional nature conser-vation associations to raise awareness andmotivate employees to actively participate inenvironmental protection on a local level,whether it’s through planting initiatives,installing birdhouses, removing invasiveplants, or any other environmental activities.

For instance, campaigns such as our adopt-a-stream program, which we’ve been main -taining since 1997, are integrated into thetraining program in order to generate aware -ness of environmental protection among ouryoungest employees from the very start.

Involvement in environmental committees isone important way in which we fulfill oursocial responsibilities.

Commitment 9

C O M M I T M E N T T O T H E E N V I R O N M E N T

Koehler employees doing their part for the environment

Milestones 10

M I L E S TO N E S I N K O E H L E R ’ S E N V I R O N M E N TA L P O L I C Y

Systematic documentation of significant, internal sourcesof noise. Quick measurementfocused on six external soundreference measuring points asdefined by local authorities.

Introduction of an integratedmanagement system

Quality, safety, environmentCertification as a specializedcompany in accordance withSec. 19 of the Federal WaterAct (WHG)

Development of goals withgoal assessment in theadopt-a-stream programwith goal monitoring(Combating invasive plants, plantinitiatives to promote biodiversity)

Rules of procedure, occupational health andsafety, and environmentalprotection

Voluntary participation in

the smell study forresidents of the

industrial areas ofStrasbourg and Kehl.

First environ-mental policy

First environmental report (Informing company and department heads about importantenvironmental aspects)

Development and implementation of the active environmental protection system

Appointment andtraining of safety and

environmental officers in training

1991 1995 1999 2002

The Early Warning System working group to prevent

peak loads at the wastewater treatment plant

Adopt-a-stream program to incorporate nature

conservation into training

1997

2004

Revision of the environmental manual

Member of the NaturerlebnisparkRheinauen booster club

2007

1993

Introduction of the environmental

incident report(Development

of an instruction manual for managers

and employees)

2001

Organizational milestones

Technological Milestones

Two gas-heated steam generators are commissioned as part of paper machine 1.Wastewater is fed into the community wastewater treatmentplant following pretreatment.

Development of a two-stage biology with trickling filter. Direct discharge of wastewaterinto the Rhine.

Expansion of the wastewater treatment plant

Introduction of key damage indicators(Assessment of input materials in terms of wastewater relevance)

1988 1995 2001

Steam primarily supplied by biomass combined heat

and power plant 1 of B E B - Bio Energie Baden GmbH

2002First environmental report

(Technical implementation of the campaign programs)

1999

1996

Milestones 11

Straightforwardoverview of theprimary energy

flows in a Sankey diagram

(Project with Hochschule Pforzheim)

2010

EN ISO 14001 certification(In collaboration with IHK)

Shared policies for all management subsystems

Training of safety and environmental officers

Employees and managers

Introduction of the activemanagement system

(Dealing with resident instructions)

Integration of environmentalprotection into

meetings/discussions

2008

2009

Provision of environmentalinformation to all employeesand managers in the Koehlerinformation system

Provision of a legal environmental database andthe current laws in the KIP

Energy Savings working group (As an ongoing organizational body)

2009

EN ISO 50001certification

2012

Development of a permit register

for all sites

2013

Definition of long-term goalsup to 2030 in terms of CO2

emissions and percentage ofrenewable energies

2014

Split treatment Wastewatertreatment plant(Patented process)

Second biological treatment stage updated(Trickling filter replaced with highly resistant biology)

EN ISO 14001 certification

Replacement of the oldeststeam generator

2004 2007/2008

Energy comparison of two paper machines

2006 2009

Steam supplied by biomass combined heat and power plant 2 ofB E B - Bio Energie Baden GmbH

2011

Modernizationof the hydroelectric power

stations in Weisenbach

2014/2015

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Papierfabrik August Koehler SEHauptstraße 2 · D-77704 Oberkirch · Phone +49 7802 81-0 · Fax +49 7802 81-4330 · www.koehlerpaper.com