Problems of Paper Recycling in Western Europe: Part 4

From this rough balance two conclusions could be drawn: (1) an overall, general recycling of paper fibers in Western Europe, under the current production capacity distribution, evidently means increased long-distance transport and (2) part of the reuse fiber potential is lost because of intercontinental export. To even out the fiber potential in Western Europe would mean about 10 billion tonne-kilometer transport output by rail and ship between Scandinavia and Central Europe. About 10% of the reuse fiber potential produced would this be irreversibly lost, if no intercontinental transport of waste paper is achieved.

In 1986, about 27% of the Central European paper supply was based on imports, mainly from Scandinavia. If this trend continues, transportation networks between producers and consumers should be built up. A production facility relying mostly on recycled materials could, however, be placed near the main consumption centers instead of the main sources of primary raw wood material. These considerations indicate one degree of freedom in the search for optimal production and recycling structures.

A scenario with large-scale paper recycling immediately includes the option of regional (and international) restructuring of the existing pulp and paper industry. In addition to the paper import, about 30% of the wood pulp used in Central Europe was imported, again to large extent from Scandinavia. Consequently, large-scale paper recycling in Western Europe would have a radical impact on the current primary fiber market. For this reason and because of the large, new investments needed for reused pulp production, and also the large, existing investments in primary pulp production facilities, the changeover to large-scale paper recycling may take many years and may encounter economic and political difficulties.