Sustainable Paper Production Helps Preserve North America’s Forests

MRF operators, brokers and others recently discussed why fiber is still “the elephant in the room” in municipal recycling conversations. During a recovered fiber session at the 2019 Resource Recycling Conference and Trade Show in New Orleans, stakeholders from throughout the paper recycling sector discussed where the market is and where it’s headed. Fiber is the “elephant in the room” as far as the value of the residential mix that municipalities receive, said Dave Claugus, vice president of Pacific Northwest MRF operator Pioneer Recycling Services. Paper is the “main event” at a MRF, said Claugus. In the Pacific Northwest, paper makes up 75% of the material that comes onto the tip floor Monday through Friday. “That means that paper moves the price of whatever the processor can pay or needs to charge the municipality,” Claugus said. For example, if paper moves by $10 per ton, it is going to influence the combined value of recyclables by $7.50 per ton. If PET moves by $10 per ton, on the other hand, that would influence the combined value of the recycling stream by just 25 cents per ton due to its smaller volume in the stream.

The year 2021 has become an important year for the U.K. when it comes to taking action on climate change. In addition to hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) later this year, the U.K. government will set the world’s most ambitious climate change target – to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels.[1] U.K. consumers are also becoming more environmentally savvy. In 2020, recycling rates for aluminum beverage can recycling reached 82%, its highest rate ever, and a 6% year-on-year increase from 2019. According to Alupro, there is an increasing awareness among U.K. consumers about the benefits of recycling and a significant shift in their behaviors. The rise in the volume of aluminum recovered from incinerator bottom ash can also be attributed to several new companies being approved to issue Packaging Recovery Notes and the commissioning of several new U.K. energy recovery facilities.

A new tree nursery located in Pavas will produce 16,000 trees and shrubs to contribute to the tree planting process of different parks and green areas around the capital of Costa Rica, San José. The structure was built by the Municipality, in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), through the Productive Landscapes Project of MINAE/GEF /UNDP. The nursery consists of two 400 m2 greenhouses, an air irrigation system that saves water consumption, and a security mesh for the perimeter. It covers an area of 6,000 m2 and required an investment of US$ 32,000. The funds to build the structure were contributed by the Productive Landscapes Project of UNDP, as part of its cooperation with the María Aguilar Interurban Biological Corridor (CBIMA), which consist of the Municipalities of San José, Montes de Oca, Curridabat, La Unión and Alajuelita. Click Read More below for additional information.