Archived press release

RECYCLING SCHEMES COLLAPSE ACROSS BRITAIN Government Waste Strategy in Early Crisis

25 June 1998

Recycling schemes around Britain are collapsing. A survey from Friends of the Earth(FOE), published today, reveals that the low price of waste paper is throwing scores of schemes into crisis. The news comes just two weeks after the Government announced that it wanted to “substantially increase recycling”.

FOE wants swift Government action to bolster the market for waste paper by forcing newspapers to increase the recycled content of their newsprint. On Saturday dozens of FOE groups around the country will take to the streets in support of a Private Members Bill to double the recycled content to 80%. FOE's survey of 219 local authorities (see attached table) shows that:
. more than one in ten have ceased a kerbside collection of waste paper;
. more than one in ten have closed paper banks (some run by voluntary groups);
. one third of local authorities have abandoned plans to expand paper recycling.

On 10 June the Government published Less Waste More Value, a consultation paper on a new waste strategy. The paper points out that the Government has reserve powers to force the newspaper industry to increase the recycled content of newspapers FOE,together with Waste Watch and The Community Recycling Network, are campaigning to increase the use of recycled paper. This will help prevent pollution from landfill sites and incinerators and will help reduce the felling of wildlife rich forests in Scandinavia and Canada. Together with David Chaytor MP, the groups have introduced The Recycled Content of Newsprint Bill into Parliament, for debate on 3 July. If passed the Bill will force 80% of newsprint in newspapers to be made from recycled paper. It could also create 10,000 jobs in recycling and reduce the UK import bill by £175 million a year.

Mike Childs, Senior Waste Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

Country Per cent

Germany 71.1
Austria 70.8
Switzerland 67.4
Sweden 66.2
Netherlands 64.7
Finland 61.5
Denmark 53.9
Norway 49.8
France 41.2
Spain 41.1
UK 39.6
Portugal 39.4
Belgium 38.2
Greece 32.9
Italy 30.7
Ireland 12.2

Source: Environment Watch: Western Europe, September 1997

Newspapers and waste: Ten Facts

* Over a million tonnes of newspaper are thrown away every year in the UK
* Around three quarters of the newspaper we use is wasted
* The newspaper we buy is made from about 40% waste paper; we want this to be increased to 80%
* If every UK newspaper was printed on recycled paper about 8 million trees a year could be saved
* If newspaper were made from 80% recycled paper this could generate nearly 10,000 new jobs in the UK
* If newspaper were made from 80% recycled paper £175 million a year could be saved on import costs
* Paper used for UK newspapers in a year would wrap around the Earth 270 times
* In 1995, the UK was the fifth highest consumer of paper in the world
* A person in the UK uses around 30 times as much wood and paper as someone in India
* The last 5% of ancient Scandinavian forest is being cut down to provide paper and timber for the UK, endangering species such as the flying squirrel and the white-backed woodpecker

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust