[GreenYes] Recycled Paper Markets

["Pablo Collins" <collins@csandh.com>]

With all due respect to Conservatree and the Alliance for Environmental
Innovation and their recent study of paper markets, it is important to
recognize that they just addressed a small percentage of the paper
industry. Without a doubt, there is room for change in the printing and
writing paper segment of the industry ---- magazines, catalogues, copy
paper and stationary.  These products, however, are just a small part of
the paper picture. Tissue, newspaper, recycled paperboard, wallboard
facing paper and the liner and medium which go into corrugated boxes are
creating a significant demand for commercial and residential papers.
The American Forest & Paper Association latest data shows that close to
50% of paper consumed in the US is recovered for recycling and recovered
fiber now constitutes 37% of the paper industry's raw material. (The
difference is made up in exports of recovered fiber to mills in Canada,
Mexico, Asia and elsewhere.)  In other words, what otherwise looks like
a bleak recycling report, only addresses a small part of the picture.
The big picture is much brighter, even if prices aren't. 

Pablo Collins
Paper Recycling Coalition & 
100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance      
******************************************
To post to the greenyes list,
email to: greenyes@grrn.org

Subscription information for
this list is available here:
http://www.grrn.org/general/greenyes.html
******************************************