With a 72% recycling rate Europe is the world champion in recycling paper in 2019.
CEPI – The Confederation of European Paper Industries – published their annual report in July presenting the European paper industry in figures.
Paper recycling is one of the key accents in the report and its importance in the circular economy. Paper is one of the most recycled materials on the planet and could be reused up to 7 times before it loses its properties. The European recycling rate reached 72% in 2019. This is the highest percentage reached since statistics are kept. In 1990 the rate barely reached 40%. More than ever the European mills reuse collected paper and board in their production process. In the last few years many paper manufacturers redesigned their machines to produce new grades of paper made of already used paper and board. Due to increased online sales packaging consumption grew enormously. Your Amazon or Ebay orders are delivered in cardboard boxes mainly made from recycled material.
China was the leader in importing recycled paper from Europe. The Chinese government regulated overseas imports which led to significant downfall of the collected paper delivered to the country. For the past few years Europe had to find solution to ever rising stock of collected paper to compensate missing exports to China. Mills around the continent started using more waste paper and board in their production.
How far could we go with recycling?
The recycling rate cannot be increased indefinitely, though. Hygienic materials are impossible to recycle for obvious reasons. The life of products like toilet paper, kitchen towels, facial tissues etc. ends with their use. The sanitary paper production plays big role in the paper industry accounting for a large chunk of the paper manufacturing in total.
Some of the hygienic materials however, even though not recycled, will not harm the environment. They will degrade in several months, turning into food for other microorganisms.
Our paper straws are made of paper that could be recycled many times. Consider buying our product instead of the harmful plastic straws washed up on beaches everywhere in the world!