A study by BIR has discovered that more than half of global paper production includes recovered fibre.
In 2018, a total of 50.2% of global paper and board production was made from recovered fibre.
Of these 211 million tonnes produced using recovered fibre, 86% of it was packaging materials, while newsprint accounted for around 5%, printing/writing 4% and tissue 4%.
Put together by BIR’s Paper Division, support for the research was also provided by European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC).
Asia accounted for 43% of production, Europe 27% and North America 21%.
Writing in the introduction to the report, BIR Paper Division President Jean-Luc Petithuguenin wrote: “From our statistical base camp, we have set out to make reasoned calculations that have enabled us to quantify the massive contribution made by recycled fibres as an environmentally beneficial component of global paper and board production….
“…[The collated data illustrates] the importance of recovered fibre in the production of paper and board around the world, particularly in the growing packaging segment.”
