View of the Effects of Increased Recycling, 1992 TAPPI Conference Proceedings

Recycling is not new to the paper industry. Traditionally, products such as boxboard, tube stock and gypsum paper have been sourced from 100% secondary fiber. Garden State Paper Co. pioneered a 100% recycled newsprint grade about 30 years ago. Mills producing toweling and tissue grades have used increasing amounts of secondary fiber over the years. Brownboard mills that process OCC and other secondary fibers into liner and medium have increased in number and content; markedly so in the last five years. The number of fine paper mills that rely on secondary fiber has been small but is now growing rapidly because of customer demand. The technical expertise of the mills has been supported strongly by paper stock dealers, equipment suppliers and specialty chemical companies.

Until recent times, all this activity was driven by economics. Today, we are being pulled by environmental pressures. This presentation will give a view of what the rest of this decade may bring as our industry responds to this challenge.