The European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) has revealed that 71.7 per cent of paper and board was recycled in Europe in 2012.
This is an increase on the 70 per cent recycled in 2011 and since 1991, when figures were first recorded, has increased from 40 per cent.
Although the amount of paper consumption has fallen by 13 per cent compared to the level of 1998, the amount of paper recycled is 1.5 times higher than in the same year.
In Europe, paper gets recycled 3.5 times a year, compared to 2.4 times in the rest of the world.
Within European countries, 13 are now achieving more than 70 per cent recycling.
ERPC secretary Jori Ringman-Beck said: “The European paper value chain devotes huge efforts year after year to simplify paper recycling for citizens and consumers in offices and at home.
“The figures in the report prove that paper recycling is truly an industry made in Europe and in line with EU policies, it needs to be safeguarded to remain so.”
