PaperChain estimates that paper recycling “skilled green job” creation in the UK can be maximised through domestic reprocessing and government should be committed to looking to ease the current burden on UK manufacturing and to set the scene for future investment. The UK’s manufacturing future will be heavily dependent on secondary raw materials rather than primary raw materials so government policy on waste must support this by ensuring as much material is collected as possible whilst ensuring it is all of a suitable quality for use by manufacturers.

Paper recycling in the UK already offers CO2 equivalent benefits of over 10 million tonnes per annum against UK waste disposal through landfill and incineration1 and if domestic reprocessing was maximised then this could be even greater. Current paper recycling levels in the UK also save waste producers around £540 million pounds in disposal costs.

Simon Weston, PaperChain Chair, said “The UK’s manufacturing future will be based around recycling and it is imperative that every stakeholder in the resource chain understands the huge economic, environmental and social benefits attached to this. The FoE report highlights this in a way that is clear and concise. For these enormous benefits to be fully realised, everyone that handles a recyclable resource must understand the value that the material contains at all stages and government must set policies that maximise the realisation of this value.”  

More info:
www.paper.org.uk