Nov 15, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. announced that it has achieved chain-of-custody certification for fibre sourcing at its Kenogami and Laurentide paper mills, demonstrating leadership in environmental responsibility and fibre sourcing. This third-party certification process is a first of its kind in Quebec. Abitibi-Consolidated is now able to demonstrate that paper purchased from these facilities is sourced from responsibly and sustainably managed forests. Based on a recognized standard (PwC-IcoC: 2005(R)) and verified by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the chain-of-custody certification confirms that the company has the systems and controls necessary to testify that paper produced at the Kenogami and Laurentide mills contains certified wood fibre from sustainably managed forests. "The chain-of-custody certification gives us a mark of distinction proving that our fibre-sourcing efforts meet our customers' environmental needs," said Francine Dorion, vice-president, sustainability and environment at Abitibi-Consolidated. "Chain of custody also allows us to clearly establish the source of a given product and the percentage of certified fibre it contains. To effectively integrate environmental responsibility throughout the paper-production process, it is essential that all parties involved - from suppliers to purchasers - play an active role." The Kénogami mill produces 195,000 tonnes of paper annually while the Laurentide mill produces 376,000 tonnes. The papers in question are designed for commercial printing uses, such as catalogues, inserts, flyers and circulars. Abitibi-Consolidated is a leading producer of newsprint and commercial printing papers as well as a major supplier of wood products, serving 70 countries from more than 50 operating facilities. Committed to the sustainable forest management of more than 40 million acres through third-party certification, the Company is also the largest recycler of newspapers and magazines in North America, collecting and consuming the equivalent of more than five billion newspapers every year.