Paper recycling chain exceeds its voluntary commitment

Submitted by: The Two Sides Team October 20, 2016

The paper recycling rate in Europe reached an impressive 71.5% as announced by the European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) in their final monitoring report for 2015. Compared to 2010, collection and recycling has increased by almost one million tonnes of paper. This is due in part to the excellent work of the ERPC.

The 2015 European paper recycling rate of 71.5% is 1.5% higher than the target set by the ERPC in the 3rd European Declaration on Paper Recycling for the period 2010-2015. We are proud to report on the impressive work completed, following the pledge it first made in 2000 to expand paper recycling in Europe.

“The efforts of the ERPC perfectly complement EU policy on Circular Economy. The paper fibre loop can serve as the perfect model for circularity”, says ERPC Chairman Henri Vermeulen. “All 13 ERPC associations are proud to be part of a value chain ‘Made in Europe’, prolonging value creation and job opportunities”, he added.

In addition to the quantitative progress, a lot of qualitative work was done, particularly with initiatives to facilitate the recycling process and increase recycling activity. These notably include collection and applying ecodesign to paper products.

For the commitment period of 2011 to 2015, EY has independently verified the recycling rate calculations. Currently, a new ambitious commitment for 2016-2020 is being prepared. This will keep the industry moving on its path towards ever-higher recycling rates.

For more information, please contact the ERPC Secretariat, Ulrich Leberle, at +32 2 627 49 23, erpc@cepi.org or visit www.paperforrecycling.eu

About The European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) 

The European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) 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. The commitments in the Declaration are renewed every five years. 

In 2011, the ERPC committed itself to meeting and maintaining both a voluntary recycling rate target of 70% in the EU-27 plus Switzerland and Norway by 2015 as well as qualitative targets in areas such as waste prevention, ecodesign, and research and development

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