Recycling And Long Range Timber Outlook

A supporting technical document for the 1993 Update of the 1989 RPA Assessment

In the 1980's, lack of landfill space and increasing waste disposal costs stimulated interest in recycling of paper and paperboard. The recovered paper utilization rate (recycling rate) has increased from 25 percent in the mid1980's and may reach 40 percent or more by the year 2000. Recycling changes the mix of fiber used in making paper and paperboard and therefore has implications for the amount of wood consumed in the paper and paperboard manufacturing processes. This report summarizes the existing situation for recycling of paper and paperboard and presents the results of projections of recycling and its potential implications for the longrange timber outlook.

Highlights include the following:

The recycling rate may exceed 40 percent after the year 2000.
Increased recycling will extend timber resources, with total U.S. timber harvest being less because of increased recycling.
Increased paper recycling will not be sufficient to make up for projected reductions of National Forest timber harvest in the 1990's, with the result being higher prices for softwood sawtimber.
Increased recycling will help relieve the problem of lack of landfill space.
Much research in the pulp and paper industry will need to focus on producing quality products from recycled fiber.

Ince, Peter J. 1994. Recycling and longrange timber outlook. General Technical Report RM242. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 23 p.

Copies may be ordered from Richard Schneider. His telephone number 3034981719; FAX number3034981660; DG addressR.Schneider:S28a, or mailing address3825 E. Mulberry St., Fort Collins, CO, 80524

Title: Recycling And LongRange Timber Outlook

Organization:USDA Forest Service,

Contact-addr:fswa/s=R.Schneider/ou1=S28a@mhs.attmail.com

Contact-phone:3034981719

Document-date:4/10/95

Expiry:4/10/98

Abstract: Recycling And LongRange Timber Outlook....A supporting technical document for the 1993 Update of the 1989 RPA Assessment