IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i15p6610-d1448438.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Expert Survey on the Impact of Cardboard and Paper Recycling Processes, Fiber-Based Composites/Laminates and Regulations, and Their Significance for the Circular Economy and the Sustainability of the German Paper Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Jürgen Belle

    (Sustainable Materials and Product Design, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, Lothstraße 34, 80335 Munich, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Daniela Hirtz

    (Sustainable Materials and Product Design, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, Lothstraße 34, 80335 Munich, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Sven Sängerlaub

    (Sustainable Materials and Product Design, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, Lothstraße 34, 80335 Munich, Germany)

Abstract

The European Community is striving for a sustainable society as suggested by the UN’s 2015 sustainability goals. The circular economy in the paper and packaging industry is of particular importance here because it consumes many resources. The paper industry in Germany with a fiber recycling rate of 85% in 2022 is already a pioneer and role model for other industries. All materials should be recyclable. Fiber-based composites/laminates are currently becoming increasingly important. Essential questions are: which collection systems and recycling paths should be used for fiber-based composites/laminates, and where are there currently challenges with recycling? To answer these questions, 58 questionnaires answered by German experts and practitioners in the German paper industry were evaluated. Wet-strength papers, adhesives, plastic coatings and wax dispersions were perceived as a problem by 70% of all respondents, and packaging residues by almost 40%. Additionally, 90% stated that the composition of paper for recycling changes regularly due to legislation, trends and innovations, while 60% attributed this to recent changes in legislation. For at least 80%, virgin fibers from packaging are valuable for paper recycling, but only 15% of respondents stated that virgin fibers compensate for the disadvantages of rejects. Almost 90% expected challenges with fiber-based composites/laminates in the existing paper for recycling processes. Overall, the collection and recycling of fiber-based composites/laminates in conventional paper for recycling collection and the recycling system is not desirable. An integrated collection, sorting and recycling system should be considered, especially because a further increase in fiber-based composites is to be expected. In the end, the design for recycling and following recycling guidelines are the key to the recycling industry in the future. Good recyclability of fiber-based composites/laminates would improve their acceptance by paper recyclers. Their virgin fibers are particularly valuable. The results of our study are relevant to the recycling and fiber industry, standard-setting bodies, regulatory authorities and research. The limitation of this study is that experts from the paper industry were interviewed, but the recyclability of the fiber materials was not analyzed by measurement, and the machine technology of the interviewees could not be examined and evaluated.

Suggested Citation

  • Jürgen Belle & Daniela Hirtz & Sven Sängerlaub, 2024. "Expert Survey on the Impact of Cardboard and Paper Recycling Processes, Fiber-Based Composites/Laminates and Regulations, and Their Significance for the Circular Economy and the Sustainability of the ," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-24, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:15:p:6610-:d:1448438
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/15/6610/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/15/6610/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Konstantin Schinkel & Bastian Küppers & Sven Reichenbach & Teresa Rohrmeier & Kajetan Müller & Tanja Fell & Sven Sängerlaub, 2023. "Amount of Fill Product Residues in Plastic Packagings for Recycling," Waste, MDPI, vol. 1(4), pages 1-18, October.
    2. Mourad, Anna Lúcia & Garcia, Eloisa E.C. & Vilela, Gustavo Braz & Von Zuben, Fernando, 2008. "Influence of recycling rate increase of aseptic carton for long-life milk on GWP reduction," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 678-689.
    3. Stijn Ewijk & Julia A. Stegemann & Paul Ekins, 2021. "Limited climate benefits of global recycling of pulp and paper," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(2), pages 180-187, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Man, Yi & Yan, Yukun & Wang, Xu & Ren, Jingzheng & Xiong, Qingang & He, Zhenglei, 2023. "Overestimated carbon emission of the pulp and paper industry in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    2. Hatem Abushammala & Muhammad Adil Masood & Salma Taqi Ghulam & Jia Mao, 2023. "On the Conversion of Paper Waste and Rejects into High-Value Materials and Energy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Malak Anshassi & Timothy G. Townsend, 2023. "The hidden economic and environmental costs of eliminating kerb-side recycling," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 919-928, August.
    4. Jun-Der Leu & Larry Jung-Hsing Lee & Yi-Wei Huang & Chia-Chi Huang, 2021. "Sustainable Supply Chains: Evidence from Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-22, August.
    5. Takuma Watari & André Cabrera Serrenho & Lukas Gast & Jonathan Cullen & Julian Allwood, 2023. "Feasible supply of steel and cement within a carbon budget is likely to fall short of expected global demand," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Alessio Miatto & Nargessadat Emami & Kylie Goodwin & James West & Mohammad Sadegh Taskhiri & Thomas Wiedmann & Heinz Schandl, 2024. "Australia's circular economy metrics and indicators," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(2), pages 216-231, April.
    7. Furszyfer Del Rio, Dylan D. & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Griffiths, Steve & Bazilian, Morgan & Kim, Jinsoo & Foley, Aoife M. & Rooney, David, 2022. "Decarbonizing the pulp and paper industry: A critical and systematic review of sociotechnical developments and policy options," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    8. Michelle Klein & Charlotte Werner & Manfred Tacker & Silvia Apprich, 2024. "Influence of Packaging Design on Technical Emptiability of Dairy Products and Implications on Sustainability through Food Waste Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-19, July.
    9. Giovanni Vinti & Mentore Vaccari, 2022. "Solid Waste Management in Rural Communities of Developing Countries: An Overview of Challenges and Opportunities," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-14, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:15:p:6610-:d:1448438. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.