Benefits From Increasing Paper Recovery Rate
During 2007 and 2008 calendar year, 2,060,000 tons of recyclable paper was collected:
- income generating - did not go to landfill
- Increased Job Opportunities Saving Landfill Space
- If all household paper/cardboard was recycled ¾ million m3 of landfill space would be saved per annum (Local Authorities would in the process save substantially in costs per annum from reduced collection and landfill costs).
- 40% Less energy is required to manufacture paper from recovered paper. Recycled fibre reduces air emissions in papermaking by 70%!
For Every Ton Of Paper Recycled
- 3 m3 of landfill space is saved; This reduces costs to municipalities in that their transport costs are reduced and it frees up space at landfill sites. (Visualise 1,030,000 tons of paper at a landfill site).
- 17 trees are put to other uses. Trees sequester carbon. (It is noteworthy that growing trees for paper manufacture is done in a responsible way; trees are a renewable resource and in SA 80% of our plantations are FSC certified – the highest in the world)
- A substantial amount of energy is saved - energy saved from paper recycling per annum is sufficient to provide electricity to 512 homes for a year).
- There is a reduction of coal based emissions of 1 ton of CO2
- There is a reduction of electricity based emissions of 1.8 tons of CO2
