European recycling rate increased to 72% in 2019

A great signal towards more sustainability is the fact that the collection of Paper for Recycling was maintained at high levels in Europe despite a decrease in paper and board consumption in Europe. The sharp and continued decline in Chinese demand for European Paper for Recycling was balanced by increased demand from other countries such as Turkey and India.

Angelika Christ, EPRC chairwoman adds:

“The increase to 72% shows that paper recycling is not only a promise, but is already today a model for circularity and a strong contributor to the European Green Deal”.

The European Paper Recycling Council is monitoring the development of the European Paper recycling rate and its progress in 2019 towards the set target of 74% recycling rate by 2020. The full monitoring report including action by the EPRC signatories and supporters in the fields of collection, recycling, research and education will be published in September.

Today the Confederation of European Paper Industries, Cepi, released its 2019 key statistics report, for more information access the report here.

The European Paper Recycling Council (EPRC) was set up as an industry self-initiative in November 2000 to monitor progress towards meeting the paper recycling targets set out in the 2000 European Declaration on Paper Recycling. Since then the commitments in the Declaration are renewed every five years. In 2017 the EPRC committed itself to meeting and maintaining both a voluntary recycling rate target of 74% in the EU27 plus Switzerland and Norway by 2020 as well as qualitative targets in areas such as waste prevention, ecodesign and research and development. In 2017, Signatories of the ERPC are ACE, CEPI, CITPA, EMFA, ETS, EuRIC, FEPE, INGEDE and INTERGRAF. Supporters are Afera, EuPIA, FINAT, FEICA and RadTECH Europe. DG Environment and DG Grow of the European Commission are permanent observers to the EPRC.

http://www.paperforrecycling.eu

Source: The European Paper Recycling Council