3 March 1993

Doc. 6777

.       Revised

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

on the use of primary and recycled fibre

in the European paper industry

presented by Mr TIURI and others

1.       The European consumers are increasingly environmentally aware and resource conscious. There is already a shortage of landfill sites in Western Europe. Municipal authorities and the general public require more efficient recycling of paper and board.

2.       These requirements are justified, although it should be taken into account that waste paper is already a substantial part of the raw material base of the European paper industry. Almost 40% of the raw material is waste paper.

3.       It is evident that recycling paper is here to stay and that this is already essential in order to reduce the waste going to landfill.

4.       Equally evident is that the proper balance between recycled and primary fibre must be found and maintained since not all of the collected waste paper can be used for paper making. Thus, primary fibre and recycled fibre are complementary raw materials for the industry and support each other.

5.       Significant use of primary fibre is environmentally advantageous, and thus important. This conclusion is based on the fact that only actively managed forests slow down global warming. The usage of selected waste will increase. The excess of collected waste paper, that is, mainly the low grade and mixed waste paper, should be used as biofuel and thus turned into renewable energy replacing existing fossil energy sources.

6.       Therefore, the Assembly considers that it would be useful to study the question of the use of primary and recycled fibre in the paper industry.

      Signed:       Tiuri, Ryynanen, Särkijärvi, Dromberg, Halonen, Granstedt, Håvik, Schmidt, Nybakk, Koritzinsky, Laakso, Astgeirsdottir, Ragnarsdottir, Arnalds, Bjarnason G.