European Paper Recycling Inches Upwards
8/25/99
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Title: European Paper Recycling Inches Upwards
Source: Environment News Service
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: August 25, 1999
BRUSSELS, Belgium, August 25, 1999 (ENS) - Paper recycling in western
Europe rose by 5.5 percent between 1997 and 1998, when it equalled
almost half of total consumption, according to the Euorpean paper
manufacturers' association CEPI.
A record of 36.7 milliion tonnes of recovered paper was used in
manufacture of new products, with the biggest increases recorded for
production of newsprint and materials for cases. Overall, recycling
has increased by 55 percent since the early 1990s, but CEPI warns a
slowdown in growth could now be in prospect as "optimum" recycling
levels are reached in some countries.
In 1998, the biggest rises were recorded in countries with the lowest
collection rates, and CEPI predicts that although there is still room
for further improvement, this will be constrained by the fact that
some paper types cannot be collected for recycling.
One estimate is that 18.5 percent of products are unsuitable, due
either to their technical nature or end-use (tissue and cigarette
papers), to being continually in use (library books and some types of
packing cases) or through becoming contaminated (pizza boxes).
For the future, CEPI would like to see more use of voluntary
approaches rather than increased regulation, director-general Marie
Arwidson said.
{Published in cooperation with ENDS Environment Daily, Europe's
choice for environmental news. Environmental Data Services Ltd,
London. Email: envdaily@ends.co.uk; Website: http://www.ends.co.uk}