European paper recycling rate reaches 72 per cent

摘要

The recycling rate in European paper production nearly touched 72 per cent last year, according to a recent report of the European Paper Recycling Council (EPRC). The total collection volume for recovered paper in the 28 EU countries, Norway and Switzerland amounted to 57.5 million t. Although the amount of collected paper was 2.5 million t lower than in 2018, the recycling rate still rose year-on-year, climbing to reach 71.7 percent, because total paper and board consumption was around 3 per cent lower in the reporting year adt 79.8 million t. EPRC had pledged in 2016 to achieve a recycling rate of 74 per cent in 2020. Whether this target will be reached depends ultimately on much paper and board is consumed in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak and the resulting economic downturn, the report says. New recycling capacities have been built, but they will not all be commissioned because of the economic con- sequences of Covid-19, EPRC believes. The volume of recovered paper collected in Europe has fallen by 1.6 million t since 2015. As recovered paper utilisation in the European paper industry has remained steady at 50.7 million t, the drop has been the result of lower exports, especially weaker demand from China. India overtook China in 2019 as the principal destination for European recovered paper exports. Recovered paper shipments from Europe increased not only to India but also rose significantly to lndonesia,TurkeyandThailand, as borne out by Eurostat figures. Still, the shift has not entirely offset the drop in demand from China. Total recovered paper exports to the People's Republic from the EU-28, Norway and Switzerland fell again by around one sixth last year, EPRC's annual report observes.