Canada's Globe and Mail reported that the US government has filed a court motion calling for the reogranisation plan to be rejected in light of the $10m (£6.05m) owed to it in unpaid taxes, as well as claims "well in excess of $150m" in civil penalties reported to be related to violations of environmental laws.

In its filing, the government said: "Because these proposed third-party releases are not essential to the reorganization of the debtors, and because the proposed releases would discharge a wide array of potential liabilities, as to none of which this court has jurisdiction, and as to some of which there exist express statutory bars, the court should not grant the non-debtor releases requested."

The report came after Quebecor World creditors in Canada and the US approved its plans to emerge from creditor protection in the middle of next month.

Under those plans, former RR Donnelley chief executive Mark Angelson would take the helm of the new company with a brief to lead the consolidation of the North American printing sector.

A spokesman said: "The highly fragmented printing industry must undergo further consolidation, and this company will be an important part of that process."