WASHINGTON DC,
Nov. 15, 2011
(Press Release) -
In recognition of America Recycles Day, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) is celebrating the efforts of millions of Americans who choose to recycle paper each day by highlighting the resulting success of those efforts.
In 2010, 87 percent of Americans (268 million) had access to curbside and/or drop-off paper recycling programs. With a 63.5 percent recovery for recycling rate in 2010, more paper is recycled than glass, plastic and aluminum combined. Enough paper was recovered for recycling in 2010 to fill 124 Empire State buildings, which is roughly 334 pounds for each man, woman and child in the country. Paper recycling saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space per ton of paper recovered for recycling. Since 1990, the paper recovery rate for recycling has nearly doubled. "We're proud to represent an industry that is committed to sustainability, and to demonstrate our continued commitment, we have set a goal to increase the paper recovery rate to more than 70 percent by 2020," said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. "Our members are proven environmental stewards, and our industry provides a wide array of paper and paper-based packaging products that are renewable, recyclable and sustainable
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The American Forest & Paper Association is the national trade association of the forest products industry, representing pulp, paper, packaging and wood products manufacturers, and forest landowners. Our companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources that sustain the environment. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 5 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP. Industry companies produce about $175 billion in products annually and employ nearly 900,000 men and women, exceeding employment levels in the automotive, chemicals and plastics industries. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 48 states.
