October 17, 2016
By:
Walter G. Wright
Category:
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
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The United States Energy Information Administration (“EIA”) issued an October 14th report stating that the recovery rate for recycling of paper and paperboard increased from 34 percent of supply in 1990 to 67 percent of supply in 2015.
EIA cites data from the American Forest and Paper Association.
EIA states that most of the recovered paper is consumed in the United States. Domestic consumption of recovered paper at United States mills is stated to have increased to 31 million tons in 2015. Net recovered paper exports increased to 21 million tons.
Recovered paper is stated to typically require less energy to process into paper products than new wood pulp.
Recovered paper and paperboard classified as post-consumer recycled products are deemed materials that would have otherwise been discarded. They are distinguished from pre-consumer recycled products which are generally scrap generated in the production process. The energy savings derived from recovered paper and paperboard is derived from utilization of these waste streams as opposed to harvesting new wood.
Recovered paper and paperboard includes:
- Corrugated cardboard
- Newspaper
- Miscellaneous mixed paper (i.e., office paper, etc.)
A link to the EIA information can be found here.
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