bifa-Text 70: Studie „Sustainable paper cycle – a fact base study“

A study by the bifa Umweltinstitut, which was funded by the Board of Trustees for Research and Technology of the Pulp and Paper Industry, has now compiled reliable facts on the sustainability of paper production and paper use. On 57 pages, the study provides a comprehensive database, especially on the topics of life cycle assessment, energy consumption, wood origin and recycling.

The study finds that the paper industry uses wood, a renewable raw material that does not cause any greenhouse gas emissions in the balance sheet and does not affect the forest ecosystem if used sustainably. An analysis of the origin of wood indicates that clearings or the conversion of primary forest and semi-natural forest predominantly serve purposes other than paper production. By certifying forest areas and purchasing FSC- or PEFC-certified wood, pulp or paper, many companies also support sustainable forest management.

With sustainable wood use and high recycling rates, the paper industry has a good starting point for acting sustainably. The limits of recycling do not lie in a progressive loss of quality of the fibre material. Rather, losses of recycled fibres in the process must always be replaced by primary fibres.

The study also looks at the topic of energy. The German paper industry is one of the most energy-intensive sectors. The final energy consumption per tonne of paper has been reduced considerably over the years, by 43 % since 1980. A major hurdle for a significant further reduction is the process step of paper drying.

The amount of paper used is high in international comparison. In terms of gross domestic product, however, Germany is in the middle. This indicates a close relationship to economic performance. Paper, cardboard and paperboard play an important role in the logistics of Germany as an export nation.