P.M. BRIEFING : 40% Recycling Paper Goal Set

The paper industry announced today that it is setting a goal of 40% paper recycling by 1995.

Red Cavaney, president of the American Paper Institute, said “it will require the cooperation of the public sector and the participation of tens of millions of citizens in order to expand collection systems.”

With total paper use expected to be just over 100-million tons by 1995, that would represent a recycling goal of 40-million tons, according to figures supplied by the institute, the trade association for makers of pulp, paper and paperboard.

That much recycling would represent an increase of more than 50% from the 26-million tons recycled in 1988, the institute reported.

Cavaney said the industry will establish a computerized system to help communities that undertake recycling programs find markets for the paper they collect.