Recovered paper sees real growth in net exports

Over half the paper and cardboard consumed in the UK is collected for recycling and 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions are saved by recycling paper, the equivalent of taking more than 3 million cars off the road.


These are just two of the findings in a new report published by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) on the current state of the market for recovered paper.

Realising the value of recovered paper is the second in the series of Market Situation Reports published by WRAP.

The report aims at providing detailed information to the recycling sector on current economic conditions in the markets for recovered materials.

“We are faced with the continued contraction of the UK paper manufacturing industry and the decline in volume of recovered paper used in UK paper mills,” said Liz Dixon Smith, the author of the report.

“By contrast we are seeing real growth in net exports, particularly to China, which has seen prices for recovered fibre increase.”

The report’s aim is to provide the industry with detailed information about current economic conditions in the markets for recovered materials.

It takes at look at issues affecting the UK markets for recovered paper and board (recovered fibre) over the past year or so, including developments in the domestic and overseas paper manufacturing sectors; changes in collection trends; and movements in prices

According to “Realising the value of recovered paper,” the key themes to emerge from the paper recycling sector in 2006 include:

  • the continued contraction in the UK paper manufacturing industry and, as a consequence, the decline in the volume of recovered fibre used by UK paper mills
  • the growth in net exports of recovered fibre from the UK, particularly to China, with exports of recovered fibre overtaking domestic use in 2007

    The report also examines current drivers in the industry as well as providing a future outlook in thee global market for recovered fibre.

    A copy of the report can be found at www.wrap.org.uk/marketreports.

    Dana Gornitzki

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