Waste paper sector on rise, says CPI
Confederation of Paper Industries predicts 2010 will see waste paper and board recovery rate continue to increase
28 Jan 2010
Preliminary analysis by the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) of 2009 UK paper and board data shows a decline in most facets of the industry including UK consumption, UK production, UK usage and UK exports of recovered paper and board.
However, the CPI said there is positive news with the waste paper and board recovery rate continuing to rise, the successful machine conversion by St Regis at Kemsley, the opening of the new PALM newsprint facility in Norfolk and the announcement that the SAICA packaging mill in Manchester will go ahead. In 2009 the UK consumed an estimated 11.5 million tonnes of paper and board products, a 10% reduction on 2008, leading to a fall in the volume of used products collected for recycling to 8.1 million tonnes, 7% less than in 2008.
The UK produced just 4.3 million tonnes of paper and board, a 14% reduction on 2008, continued the CPI.
In terms of raw material, UK paper and board mills used just under 3.8 million tonnes of recovered paper and board, a decline of 6% on 2008, while exports fell to 4.5 million tonnes, 8% lower than in 2008.
In 2009 collection volumes of recovered paper and board reduced due to falling consumption. However, the collection rate (the tonnage collected as a percentage of the tonnage consumed) rose to around 78% from 76%, showing that the UK recovered paper industry continues to find new sources of material.
The CPI added that a smaller decline in domestic usage of recovered paper and board meant that UK exports bore a higher percentage of the reduced collection.
The opening of the PALM newsprint mill in Norfolk is likely to see exports fall further in 2010 if collection levels do not pick up to compensate.
Full details of the UK paper industry performance in 2009 will be distributed once the final confirmed details are available in March.