ABITIBIBOWATER RECYCLING DIVISION ANNOUNCED SINGLE STREAM PLANT PLANS TO CITY OF HOUSTON OFFICIALS

July 2, 2008 - On Friday, June 27, 2008, AbitibiBowater company representatives, Darryl Lambert and Fred Ecoff, briefed City Council’s Sustainability Committee of the plans to introduce single stream capabilities to its existing Houston plant.

Darryl Lambert, AbitibiBowater Houston Area Manager, reported that AbitibiBowater is committed to a $3 million dollar investment to upgrade its Houston facility to process single-stream recyclables for the City of Houston and the surrounding area. Lambert further added, “AbitibiBowater is also committed to working with the City of Houston to make further investments over the next several years to strengthen the Recycling Partnership with the City of Houston. This would allow the City the ability to proceed aggressively with a strategic plan for a sustainable recycling program.”

The Single Stream upgrade in Houston will help the city to collect: residential papers, old corrugated containers, #1 and #2 plastics, mixed plastics #3, 5, and 7, aluminum beverage containers and steel, tin and bi-metal cans. Currently, the City of Houston uses a split-body truck to pick up these materials from the curb - paper on one side and the rest commingled on the other side. The material is then brought to AbitibiBowater. Excluding the paper and old corrugated containers that are managed at the Houston facility, the rest of the material (commingled items) is then shipped to the Arlington, Texas plant for processing. Locating a single stream facility in Houston will have two benefits, 1.) All recyclables (i.e., paper and commingled) can be mixed together for collection, and 2.) The material will not have to be shipped all the way to Arlington for processing.

Solid Waste Management Department Director Harry Hayes said, “With a single-stream processing facility in town, we will be able to provide more Houstonians with curbside recycling. We are excited about the new possibilities for enhancing our current recycling program and diverting more materials from area landfills.”

These types of public-private partnerships will help Houston achieve the status of being an “environmentally sustainable city,” said Council Member Peter Brown, Sustainability Committee Chair.

AbitibiBowater is a leader in the recycling industry and is nationally recognized for promoting strong environmental stewardship. Through their efforts to divert paper from the waste stream, AbitibiBowater saves an estimated 8.5 million cubic yards of landfill space each year in North America.

The Solid Waste Management Department provides solid waste services to the citizens of Houston through the collection, disposal and recycling of discarded material in a manner that is safe, efficient, environmentally sound and cost-effective.