In Fig. 1.2, the development of recovered paper utilization and paper production

Is split into the usa, the cepi countries, and Germany. It is clear that since 1990,

the use of recovered paper has increased over-proportionally, with average annual

growth rates between 1961 and 2002 for recovered paper use as 3.3% for the USA,

5.8% For Germany and worldwide, and 5.9% for the cepi countries.

These higher values compared to paper production imply an increasing relevance

of recovered paper in the selected regions.

1150 1 Introduction

1 Introduction

0

20

40

60

80

100

1961 1970 1980 1990 2002

Recovered paper utilization and paper production, 106 tons

Recovered paper utilization

Paper production

Germany

CEPI

CEPI

USA

USA

Fig. 1.2 Development of recovered paper utilization

and paper production in the USA, the CEPI countries,

and Germany between 1961 and 2002 [1–4,7].

Recovered paper use is most attractive in densely populated regions with a high

paper consumption per capita, where the so-called “urban forest” growth occurs.

The region must also have a paper industry with sufficient technology and a long

tradition in recycled fiber processing. The most prominent regions are Japan and

Europe outside Scandinavia. Recovered paper is not the only material increasingly

collected and reused in developed countries. National recycling management,

enforced by legal measures, encourages the population to collect metal, glass, and

plastics also. Consumers in many countries participate in recycling; in this way

they are involved as consumers of commodities while producing secondary raw

materials for reuse.

Cost competition and the legal requirements in many countries primarily promote

the use of recovered paper. The impact of environmentalists through “green”

movements and the level of acceptance in the market of paper made from recycled

fibers are additional driving forces that vary by country. Recovered paper use is an

environmentally friendly issue according to the recycled fiber processing paper

Industry, environmentalists, governmental authorities, and often even the marketplace.

It is accepted that recycling preserves forest resources and energy used for

production of mechanical pulps for paper manufacturing. Additionally, recovery

and recycling of used paper products avoids unnecessary landfilling.

The processing of recycled products requires relatively little fresh water per ton

of paper produced. However, the solid waste rejects and sludge (e.g., deinking

sludge) from recovered paper processing mills typically present a problem. The

rate of formation of such residues is between 5% and 40%, depending on the

recovered paper grade processed and the paper grade produced. The average rate

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1 Introduction

of rejects and sludges totals about 15%, calculated on the recovered paper input

on an air-dried basis. Because landfilling of organic matter has no future in many

countries, most organic waste requires burning in order to reduce its volume.

Effective, clean incineration technologies are available that control flue gas emissions,

and the heat content of the residues and sludges contributes to self-supporting