Paper recycling fell by 7 per cent across a broad swathe of Europe last year, according to a key report.
A study from the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) found that depressed production of packaging paper and board, along with the closure of certain graphic paper mills, led to the slump in use of recovered paper in 2023.
The report added that production of pulp and paper dropped by 13 per cent across the 19 countries the body covers, which include the UK.
A poor economic environment, a trend towards destocking and persistently high energy costs all contributed to the fall, according to the study.
The decrease in paper production in 2023 was “more pronounced” than during the Covid-19 crisis, CEPI warned.
Europe’s pulp production also declined, albeit less steeply than overall paper manufacturing, said the report.
Consumption of graphic paper dropped by 28 per cent while use of sanitary and household paper fell just 4 per cent.
CEPI director-general Jori Ringman said: “Of all the macro-economic issues born of the crises of the recent years, improving basic operating and investment conditions for the EU’s manufacturing sector, while still being a big challenge, might be one of the lowest hanging fruits for EU policymakers.”
