Paper industry calls for focus on quality

The trade body representing the UKs paper industry has warned that the UK needs to address concerns about the quality of paper collected in order to avoid losing overseas sales of recovered (waste) paper.

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) has produced its first Position Paper on Paper for Recycling, central to which is the quality of material especially where commingled collection systems are used.

Adding to a flurry of comments on commingled materials, the CPIs Position Paper comes as Defra and the Environmental Services Association work on a code of practice for materials recycling facilities (MRFs).

According to the CPI, paper for recycling should be collected separately from other recyclable materials, particularly glass, as this is the means most likely to achieve the aims of the Waste Framework Directive.

Collection

However the CPI does concede that while commingled collections remain an option suitable sorting techniques must be in place to process material to a high quality.

Speaking to letsrecycle.com, the CPIs recovered paper sector manager Stuart Pohler, said: We recognise that material may be commingled in future but individual systems do need to apply a transparent and auditable quality management framework.

We have got to improve the material output quality overall rather than focus solely on the method. However, Wales is proposing that commingled collections are phased out and Scotland is also taking a stronger line. As Defra has acknowledged in its legislative review, separate collection is the means most likely to achieve the purpose of the waste framework directive and we would agree with that.

Defra should ensure that local authorities are required to apply TEEP in their procurement processes. Where you have local authorities which have high density housing, and with an increased focus on commercial collections, commingling may be a solution in some areas but they need to think about sub-categories for those collections rather than applying a simple one or the other solution.

And, according to Mr Pohler, there have been signs that overseas demand for recycled paper produced in the UK is slowing, due to concerns about the quality of material.

China is a major importer of paper and there are signs that they may be looking elsewhere. The feeling from Europe is that the quality of UK paper could lead them to elsewhere also, not least internally given its 70%recycling target by 2015, so if we dont improve the quality it could be a problem down the line.”

Incineration

The CPI is also calling for recyclers to be discouraged from burning paper and card in energy-from-waste incinerators by ensuring that the material is exempt from renewable energy subsidies. And, Mr Pohler claimed that the group was concerned that a lack of coordination between local authorities could lead the UK to an overcapacity in EfW facilities.
He said: There is a risk in the future when you have got 25 year PFI contracts that local authorities have entered into based on assumptions made before the start of the contract, there may be a risk that low quality recyclate, which depending on the financial balance could end up going to energy from waste.

There are areas of the country where there could be over capacity if there are local authorities who are procuring without knowing what the other is doing.