Sonoco’s Environmental Sustainability Portfolio

A long history of reclamation and recycling Longbeforeitbecamepopular,Sonocooperatedanaggressivepaperrecoveryandrecyclingprogram.Today,aftermorethanacentury’swork,SonocoranksamongthelargestrecyclersinNorthAmerica,collectingmorethanthreemilliontonsofpaperannuallyworldwideaswellasasignificantamountofplasticsandmetals. Inadditiontoreclaimingpaperandotherrecyclables,manyofSonoco’sproductssupportthedevelopmentofsustainablepackagingbyadheringtolifecycle,sourcereductionandwasteminimizationprinciples.ManyoftheCompany’spaper-basedproductsfollowacradle-to-cradlevisionofpackagingwhereproductsarecollectedandrecycledtoproduceotherusefulproducts. WhyisSonococommittedtothiseffort?Simple.It’sgoodforbusiness—oursandourcustomers.Reusingrenewableresources,suchaspaperfiber,helpspreservelimitednaturalresourcesanddecreasesourrelianceonlandfills.Asforourcustomers,itrelievesbusinessesandmunicipalitiesoftherisingcostsofwastemanagement.

The following are some of the accomplishments occurring within Sonoco’s Environmental Sustainability Portfolio.

PaperOverview Sonoco’ssustainabilityeffortsarebestreflectedinitsstewardshipapproachtopackaging.TheCompanysupportsrecyclingeffortswithitscustomersaroundtheworldbytakingbackusedproducts,suchastubes,coresandotherpaper-basedpackaging,andusingthereclaimedproductsasrawmaterialsforitspapermakingoperations.

Sonoco uses two million tons of recycled paper annually Sonoco’sPaperdivisionproducesapproximatelytwomilliontonsofpaperboardannually,primarilyfromrecycledoldcorrugatedcontainers(OCC)thatarecollectedbySonoco’sRecoveredPaperoperationsworldwide.

Success Story –Local efforts spur loose paper recycling:ManyofSonoco’spapermillsworkwiththeirlocalcommunitiestogatherloosepaperforrecyclingdirectlyinthemills.Forexample,inRockton,Ill.,Sonocodevelopedadirectmailcampaigntoinformarearesidentsofitsloosepapercollectioneffortswhichhasspurredincreasedrecoveryinthecommunity.

Forest ProductsOverview Sincethe1950s,SonocohasownedandmanagedtimberlandsinSouthCarolinatoproviderawmaterialsfortheproductionofcorrugatedmediumpaperboard.Today,theCompanyownsorleasesapproximately80,000acresofwoodlandsinthestate.Sonoco’sforestrymanagementprofessionalspracticebestconservationandforestrymanagementpracticesincludingutilizing100percentofthewoodcomingfromloggedtrees,whichisthenusedinmakingpulpfibertoproducepaperboard.

Success Story:Conservation easement donated for Swamp Fox site:Inthespringof2000,Sonocograntedaconservationeasementon70acresofwoodlandsonSnow’sIslandforarcheologists

SAVE SAVE SAVESave energy, land and

natural resources—recycle

When you recycle your waste paper* at Sonoco’s Rockton

facility, you help conserve natural resources and

reduce the waste stream. You’re also helping conserve

energy. Just bring your old newspapers, magazines and

cardboard to our plant and we’ll do the rest.

Curbside drop off

Sonoco

200 Hawick Street

Rockton, IL 61072

624-8891

*Sonoco accepts newspapers, magazines, brown

boxes, tubes, envelopes and paper bags for

recycling.

Sonoco does not accept wax- or poly-coated

paper (drink cups or produce boxes), glass,

plastic, steel, Styrofoam, hazardous materials,

pet food bags or garbage for recycling.

It’s easy, it’s free and you

are helping protect the

environment.

Sonoco’sEnvironmentalSustainabilityPortfolio

andhistorianstocontinuethesearchforRevolutionaryWarheroFrancisMarion’shideout.

Recovered PaperOverview Sonoco’sRecoveredPaperdivisionoperates43Company-ownedpaperrecoveryprocessingfacilitiesinninecountriesinNorthAmerica,SouthAmerica,EuropeandAsia.SonocoalsooperatestwoMaterialsRecoveryFacilities(MRFs)inColumbia,S.C.,andRaleigh,N.C.,whereitreclaimsresidentialandcommercialrecyclablesincludingpaper,aluminum,steel,plasticsandglass.Materialsprocessedatthefacilitiesarethentransportedtodomesticandinternationalbasicmaterialmanufacturersforproducingrecycledproducts.

Sonoco is one of the largest recyclers in North America Sonocoannuallyrecoversapproximatelythreemilliontonsofoldcorrugatedcontainers(OCC)andothergradesofrecoveredpaper.TheCompanyusesabouthalfinitspaperboardmanufacturingoperationsandsellstheremaindertootherpaperproducers.Inaddition,theCompanyreclaimsothermaterialsrangingfrommetalstoplasticsforrecycling.

Success Story –Sonoco opens new residential recycling facility in North Carolina:InSeptember2006,Sonocoopenedanew$5millionfullyautomatedMaterialsRecoveryFacilityinRaleigh.Thefacilityhasthecapacitytoprocess500millionpoundsofrecyclablesannually.

Success Story –Sonoco helping Wal-Mart’s sustainability strategy:AnnuallySonoco’srecoversmorethan200,000tonsofoldcorrugatedcontainersfromWal-Martstoresforrecycling.Sonocoprovidesfreebailingequipmenton-siteatselectedWal-Martlocationsaswellasanumberofotherlargeretailerstorecoverboxesandotherpaper-basedpackaging.

Success Story–Local recycling efforts boost school fund-raising efforts:InAugusta,Ga.,localschoolsgatherloosepaperfromthecommunitywhichtheyselltoSonoco’slocalRecoveredPaperoperation.Therecyclingactivitynotonlyreduceslandfillwastesforthecommunity,butraisesfundsfortheschools’bandactivities.

Sonoco’sEnvironmentalSustainabilityPortfolio

Sonoco’sEnvironmentalSustainabilityPortfolio

Sonoco pilots sustainability audits of manufacturing plants SonocohasinitiatedanR3(Reduce,Reclaim,Recycle)pilotinitiativewithitsexistingcustomerstoperformsustainabilityauditsoftheirmanufacturingfacilitiesdesignedtoimproveproductivitybyreducingplantwastesgoingtolandfillswhileofferinganewrevenuestreamfromrecycledmaterials.

Success Story– R3 plant audits identify significant savings:Sonoco’sR3pilotprojecthasperformedauditson12Companymanufacturingfacilitiesandseveralcustomerplantsin2006.Ineachcase,hundredofthousandsofdollarsinsavingwereidentifiedbyreducingwastesbeingtakentolandfillsandrecoveringcertainrecyclablematerials.Sonocohasplacedcompactingbalersatcustomerplantlocationstocapturematerialsforrecycling.

Consumer Packaging – Rigid PaperOverviewSonoco is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance recycled paperboard composite cans Sonoco’scompositecansutilizesourcereductionandrecycledcontentstrategieswhileprovidingaunique,light-weight,durableandcost-effectiveconsumerpackage.Thisrigidcanisteriscomprisedofarecycledpaperboardbodythatcomesinawidevarietyofshapesandsizes,withconsumer-friendlyopeningandclosingfeatures;barrieroptions;andhigh-impactgraphics.Sonoco’scompositecansprovidepackagingsolutionsforpowderedbeverages,frozenconcentrates,snackfoods,cereals,coffee,cookies,cleaners,sealantsandotherfoodandnon-foodconsumerproducts.

Success Story – Sonoco composite cans feature high recycled content:Sonoco’scompositecansaremadeprimarilyfrom100%recycledDuroboard®paperboardwithaminimumof90%post-consumerrecycledcontent.Paper-bottomedcompositecanshaveanaverageof75%recycledcontent,with60%to70%beingpost-consumermaterial.Metalclosuresusedinsomecontainersalsocontainrecycledmaterialsofwhichatleast10%ispost-consumermaterial.Onaverage,Sonococompositecanscontain50%recycledcontent,35%ofwhichispost-consumerrecycledmaterials.TherecycledusecontentsofSonoco’scompositecansareamongthehighestacceptableusevaluesforanyfoodpackageconfirmedbytheFoodandDrugAdministration.

Success Story –Toronto’s Blue Box program recycling composite cans: OnOct.31,2006,Toronto,Ontario,Canada,becameoneofthefirstmajorcitiesinCanadatobeginacceptingnearlyallofthecomponentsofcompositecansin

Illustration courtesy of city of Toronto,

Ontario, Canada

itscurbsidecollectionprogram.Thecity’sBlueBoxprogramiscollectingthepaperboardbody,metalendsandplasticlidsthatarethenrecycled.

Wire and Cable ReelsOverviewBaker™ reels recycling program saves 500,000 trees Sonoco’sWireandCableReelsbusinessoffersauniquereclamationandrecyclingprogramthatgivesitscustomerstheoptionofusingneworusedreels.Theprogramcollects,refurbishesandresusescablereelstobetterutilizenaturalresourcesaswellasreducingwasteanddisposalcosts.TheCompanyoperates13recyclingcentersthroughouttheUnitedStateswhichallowsittoofferrecyclingin641communitiesnationwideandinCanada.

Success Story: Reel recycling program saves customers more than $100 million:Sinceitsinception,theBaker™reelrecyclingprogramhasrecoverednearly1.5millionreelswhichwererefurbishedandreused,savingourcustomersmorethan$27millioninthedifferencebetweenpurchasinganewandusedreel.Byrecoveringnearly310millionpoundsofreels,Sonocohassavednearly500,000treeswhileavoidingapproximately$60millioninlandfillexpensesforitscustomers.

Tubes and CoresOverview Sonoco’srecyclingandreclamationeffortsarenotlimitedtopaper.Fordecades,theCompanyhasbeenreclaimingusedtubesandcoresfromitscustomersanditscustomers’customers.SonocooperatescorereclamationcentersinAtlanta,Ga.,Chicago,Ill.,Philadelphia,Pa.,andNewark,N.J.

Success Story – Sonosystem™ newsprint core reclamation system saves pressroom operators time and money:Astheworld’sleadingproducerofpapermillcores,Sonocohascreatedano-costreclamationsystemfornewsprintcorescalledSonosystem.ManyofthelargestpressroomsintheU.S.havesavedthousandsofdollarsinlandfillfeesandhandlinglaborbyhavingSonocoreclaimpapermillcores.Oncereclaimed,thecoresareusedtomakenewpaperboard.

Sonoco’sEnvironmentalSustainabilityPortfolio

Sonoco’sEnvironmentalSustainabilityPortfolio

DURA-Block™ Pallet Blocks Manufacturedusing100%recycledtreatedwood,Sonoco’snewDURA-Blockcompositepalletblocksprovidetwotimesthenail-pullwithdrawalstrengthofstandardwoodblocks.Sonoco’spalletblockshelpextendthelifeofpallets,reducingwoodconsumptionneededtoproducenewpalletsandblocks.

Success Story – Sonoco developing new pallet blocks made from recycled plastic packaging:Tofurthermeetcustomerneeds,whilereducinglandfillwastes,Sonocoispilotingthedevelopmentofcompositematerialpalletblocksthatwillincorporaterecycledplasticscomingfrommanufacturingscrapandreclaimedpackaging.

Protective PackagingOverviewSonoco protective packaging uses 75,000 tons of recycled paperboard annually Sonoco’sProtectivePackaginggroupisaleadingproviderofdesignedengineeredpackagingsolutionsforlargehouseholdappliances(ranges,refrigerators,washers,dryers),heatingandairconditioning,electronics,lawnandgarden,furnitureandofficefurnishings,kitchenandbath(cabinets,tubs,sinks),automotive,retaildisplaysandpalletconfigurationsforconsumerproducts(foodandnonfood). Basedonourproprietarypost-makingprocess,everypackagingsolutionismadefrom100%recycledpaperboardandpossessesspecificperformanceattributesthatprovidethehighestlevelofprotection.Annually,Sonoco’sProtectivePackaginggroupuses75,000tonsofrecycledpaperboardinproducingpostsandbasesforitscustomers—allofwhichalsomayberecycled.

Sonoco CorrFlex SonocoCorrFlex’spromotionalandpoint-of-purchase(P-O-P)serviceshelpitsretail-focusedcustomerssellmoreproducts.Inaddition,manyoftheCompany’sP-O-PdisplaysutilizecorrugatedpaperboardandtheCompany’spatentedpaperboard-basedcornerposts,bothofwhicharemanufacturedwith100%recycledpaper.Sonocoalsoworkswithitspoint-of-purchasecustomerstorecoverandrecycleitsusedcorrugatedpaper-baseddisplays.

Sonoco’s Environmental Sustainability Portfolio

1 North Second Street, Hartsville,SC 29550 USA

843/383-7000 • www.sonoco.com