Recycling
Members of the Ontario Forest Industries Association support recycling as a way to decrease the amount of solid waste that goes to landfill, while helping to ensure the efficient use of Ontario's forest resource.
With the growing concern over solid waste disposal, Ontarians recognize that it is neither possible nor environmentally acceptable to send all of our waste to landfill. Recycling is one way to reduce the burden of solid waste, but it makes sense from another perspective as well. By extending the lifespan of our wood and paper products, we are helping to make the best possible use of Ontario's forest resource.
Diverting Paper from the Waste Stream
The Ministry of the Environment estimates that in 1997, Ontarians generated 6.8 million tonnes of non-hazardous solid waste. Of that, about 29%—or 1.97 million tonnes—was paper waste, including everything from fine paper to magazines, newspapers, catalogues and old corrugated containers.
According to a Ministry survey, more than 3.8 million households—and 99% of Ontario municipalities—are now being served by curbside and depot recycling programs. As a result, the amount of paper waste diverted from landfill increased from 367,000 tonnes in 1996, to 429,000 tonnes in 1997 and 476,000 tonnes in 1998. However, using 1997 figures, this still represents less than 22% of Ontario's waste paper.
Recycling in Ontario
Some companies have been using waste paper in the manufacture of paper and paperboard for more than 50 years. Most of these early efforts can be attributed to mills in southern Ontario, which benefit from a closer source of waste than those located in the north.
Between 1980 and 1998, the industry's consumption of waste paper increased by 250%—to more than 2 million tonnes a year. In 1980, waste paper made up just 17% of the material used to manufacture paper and paperboard. By 1998, that figure had risen to about 47%.
This increase is the result of an ongoing process of improvement. Since the early days of recycling, the technologies to collect and sort waste paper have become far more
and there is still room for progress. The better the collection program, the more waste recovered, the stronger the recycling industry. In addition, organizations like the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada (Paprican) work to improve recycling technologies through research and development. Much of this effort has focused on the de-inking process. Using traditional recycling technology, the ink must be removed from waste paper to make it clean enough to manufacture into a new paper product. As an example, old magazines have tended to go to landfill because the ink was hard to remove. However, improved de-inking technologies have enabled some mills to overcome this challenge, increasing the amount of waste available while diverting more from landfill.
Waste Paper Supply
Since Ontario companies export more than 60% of the paper and paperboard they make, there is a limited local supply of recovered waste to recycle. Collection programs are improving, but they don't generate enough to sustain the industry. As a result, waste must be imported to satisfy the needs of Ontario mills. In 1998, the industry imported 47% of its waste paper requirements—or 992,000 tonnes.
The issue is further complicated by the remote location of many mills, which were built close to their traditional source of fibre—the forests of northern Ontario. A de-inking plant requires a capital investment of between $50 million and $100 million. For mills in the north, it may not be economically viable to install a de-inking facility, when the ongoing cost of buying and transporting waste could make them less competitive than mills located in the south. These companies must also weigh the environmental costs associated with transporting waste over long distances, against the benefits of recycling.
Waste Paper Collection
In Ontario, one of our member companies processes most of the paper collected through the Metropolitan Toronto Blue Box program. It also collects waste paper from processors in about 100 Ontario communities and from daily newspapers and printing companies. Other mills purchase either waste paper or de-inked pulp from the United States and other parts of Canada, in many cases through a dealer. Some source their paper from office collection programs, while others have formal agreements with their communities to divert waste from landfills in the region. In deciding whether to build a recycling facility, each mill must consider a range of factors, including its ability to source an adequate and secure supply of waste, and the cost of buying and transporting this material.
Sludge
For companies that use waste paper, recycling can actually generate solid waste. When the waste paper is de-inked, the mixture of leftover ink and debris is referred to as sludge. It can comprise up to 30% of the volume of the original waste paper. It's important to note that sludge comes in many different forms, depending on the type of waste paper and the process used for de-inking. The term sludge also covers the waste left over after pulp mill effluent is treated. And when it is high in organic matter, it's referred to as biomass.
Some sludge is high in nutrients and—after a rigorous testing process—may be used as a soil conditioner on farmland and young, regenerating forests. Among other things, researchers are evaluating the possibility of using sludge as filler in concrete and cement-based building products. Some companies burn it for fuel. And one mill is taking a different approach altogether—by testing a process that spreads the ink throughout the recycled paper. This reduces the problem of disposal, but limits the amount of waste the mill can use.
Although researchers continue to find new and better ways to dispose of sludge, it is still a significant, ongoing problem for most mills that recycle.
Minimum Content Requirements
Members of the OFIA support programs that encourage the diversion of waste from landfill sites. However, we cannot support laws that impose a minimum recycled fibre content.
An example of minimum content legislation is the Executive Order signed by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, that says all printing and writing papers purchased by the American government must have a minimum 20% post-consumer recycled fibre content. (Post-consumer waste paper is paper that has been sold and recovered. It excludes scraps that are trimmed in the paper making process and returned for pulping.)
Rules like this distort the consumer demand for recycled products. They also mean that in order to secure contracts, mills in remote communities may be forced to import more paper than is appropriate for their situation. This can undermine their competitive position and—if they happen to be the main employer in one of Ontario's 40+ forestry-dependent communities—may have a negative economic impact on the region.
A Growing Industry Sector
The growth of the recycling industry can be related to the rising consumer demand for recycled products—a trend that is expected to continue.
It has been estimated that between 1990 and 2050, the world population will double. Per capita income will continue to rise and literacy will increase worldwide. These trends will increase the demand for wood and paper products. They will also increase the burden of solid waste—and the need to maximize the life of these products through recycling.
As an example, the United Nations estimates that the world consumption of paper and paperboard will double—from about 250 billion cubic metres in 1993, to close to 500 billion by the year 2010. During the same period, the amount of waste recycled is also expected to grow—from about 94 billion cubic metres a year to more than 240 billion. Between 1989 and 1994, Canadian companies invested more than $1.2 billion in recycling and de-inking facilities. As a result, we are now a significant force in the global recycling industry, positioned to help meet the rising consumer demand.
Recycling and the Forest
While paper products, in particular, enjoy tremendous recycling potential, it is important to recognize that recycling does not replace the need to harvest trees. Wood fibres have a limited lifespan. Some are lost in the de-inking or papermaking process. The rest get weaker each time they're recycled, which means that in most cases, some new—or virgin—fibre must be added to maintain product strength. That said, mills are careful to use the resource efficiently. In most cases, whole logs are used for making lumber, while pulp tends to be made from smaller logs and branches, and from sawmill residues like wood chips.
Canada has long been known for the quality of its pulp and paper products. This is due, in part, to the quality of our softwood fibres, which offer superior strength and consistency. By adding these quality fibres to our recycled products, we help to ensure their success in the marketplace. This will contribute to the overall strength of the Canadian recycling industry, and its long-term viability.
