Belgium | During the recent annual General Assembly of the European Recovered Paper Association ERPA, delegates reiterated their commitment to voluntary recycling targets and confirmed a sustained demand for high quality recovered paper despite difficult economic conditions. They also stressed the need to enhance the trust of the wider public in recycling.
Although delegates acknowledged the global economic downturn and its inevitable effects on the recycling industry, they maintained a positive outlook for the middle and long-term development of recycling markets in general and recovered paper in particular.
In 2007, recovered paper merchants and recyclers, together with other actors of the paper chain represented within ERPC (European Recovered Paper Council), reached a paper recycling rate of 64,5% in the EU. During the ERPA General Assembly, they confirmed that they would keep putting all their efforts into meeting the voluntary target of 66% by the year 2010.
Reports seem to indicate that the EU paper and cardboard production in 2008 was down by 4% compared to the 2007 production figures and recovered paper operators believe this downturn to continue in 2009, including an overall decrease of paper consumption. As a consequence, EU recovered paper availability is said to decrease.
According to ERPA, its members welcomed a note issued by the EU Council under the Czech presidency, which proposes actions at national and European level in response to the sharp drop in worldwide material demand (including for recycled materials) and its impact on the EU recycling market.
ERPA reiterates the vital importance of reducing administrative barriers for the recovered paper trade and recycling and the urgent need to accelerate work on the end-of-waste criteria as provided in the revised framework directive on waste.
