International Paper and National Park Foundation Launch Commemorative National Park ecotainer Cups

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Through a partnership with the National Park Foundation, International Paper (NYSE: IP) is launching a series of commemorative national park cups, available for use by parks, concessionaires and others. The cups – International Paper's commercially compostable ecotainer® – feature eight different artistic renderings of iconic national parks along with an educational message about conservation and environmental stewardship.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/IPLOGO )

"International Paper has a strong legacy of environmental responsibility, and our ecotainer compostable foodservice products are just one example of our stewardship," said John Faraci, International Paper's chairman and chief executive officer and National Park Foundation board member.  "We are proud to honor our national parks through this commemorative cup and are looking forward to working with the parks and others to develop composting and recycling solutions."

International Paper will donate one penny for each commemorative cup sold, up to $1 million, to the National Park Foundation to be used to support the Foundation's efforts to promote and protect our national parks.

"International Paper is launching a truly holistic project to support national parks," said National Park Foundation President and CEO Neil Mulholland.  "This effort is simultaneously raising needed funds to help protect America's parks, and is also helping promote the range of amazing places for the public to visit – all in an environmentally responsible way."

The national park ecotainer cups can be purchased for use by any national park, concessionaire or other organization that would like to support the parks. The national park ecotainer cups feature iconic national parks – five hot cup designs and three cold cup designs. The cups come in assorted sizes.

In conjunction with the launch of the national park ecotainer cup, International Paper has recently partnered with the Grand Teton Conservation District to conduct a waste characterization study at the Grand Teton National Park. The study, funded in part by International Paper, is aimed at identifying best practices in foodservice waste reduction and composting solutions in order to transfer that knowledge to national parks throughout the country. The national park ecotainer cup is being used as part of the study.

Produced by International Paper, the national park ecotainer cups use paperboard from the company's Riegelwood, N.C., paper mill that is coated at its Prosperity, S.C., extrusion plant, and formed into cups at its Kenton, Ohio, foodservice facility.  

For more information on the program or to order cups, please visit ipfoodservice.com.

About International Paper

International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global paper and packaging company with manufacturing operations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Asia and North Africa. Its businesses include uncoated papers and industrial and consumer packaging, complemented by xpedx, the company's North American distribution company. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., the company employs about 56,000 people in more than 20 countries and serves customers worldwide. 2009 net sales were more than $23 billion. For more information about International Paper, its products and stewardship efforts, visit internationalpaper.com.

About ecotainer®

International Paper's ecotainer family of products includes hot cups, hot cup lids, Cup Buddy® sleeves, cold cups and food containers. ecotainer products meet the ASTM D6400 standard for compostability and are widely accepted by commercial composting facilities.  All ecotainer products are made from renewable resources such as Ingeo™ biopolymer from NatureWorks LLC, a fully renewable, plant-based material and paperboard made with trees from responsibly managed forests that meet the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) standard.

About the National Park Foundation

You are the part-owner of 84 million acres of the world's most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historical sites -- all protected in America's nearly 400 national parks.  Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks.  We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to help connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow.   Join us – This is Your Land.  nationalparks.org, Facebook: facebook.com/nationalpark, Twitter: twitter.com/goparks

ecotainer® is a registered trademark of International Paper Company.

Sustainable Forestry Initiative and SFI are registered service marks of SFI Inc.

SOURCE International Paper