Reducing The Christmas Paper Trail

Reducing The Christmas Paper Trail

The New Zealand PAPER FORUM

4th December 2008

New Zealanders will receive around 9 million Christmas boxes, use 20 million meters of wrapping paper and exchange an estimated 100 million Christmas Cards this year.

Christmas is the season for giving and receiving and this year New Zealanders will receive around 9 million Christmas boxes, use 20 million meters of wrapping paper and exchange an estimated 100 million Christmas Cards. The amount of wrapping paper which we use alone would reach from Kaitaia to Invercargill.

Ashley Chisholm, General Manager of The Paper Forum which represents New Zealand’s paper industry says that there are some simple things which we can all do to reduce our environmental impacts during the festive season:-

“All of your cards, wrapping paper and the boxes they come in can be reused or recycled. People remember to recycle their newspapers but often don’t think about other paper products. Most people will be sending and receiving cards and presents from friends and family in New Zealand as well as from overseas. It’s a great time of year and nicely wrapped gifts from Santa add to the surprise.”

“So our message is to indulge this Christmas knowing that you’ll be giving a boost to New Zealand manufacturers and retailers as well as local packaging suppliers. And as you put on your running shoes to work off those extra calories, put your Christmas cards and boxes in the recycling bin.”

According to independent research conducted by Infometrics, in the past year New Zealanders recycled 76% of all paper excluding paperboard which is covered separately in packaging recovery statistics. This compares with a global average rate of paper collection of 50% and a European average of 63%.

“We expect the new wheelie bin collection methods in Auckland and Christchurch to improve the paper recycling rate further…..as all paper that is collected in the bins is recyclable. Although we are doing very well, we can do better but are nearing what studies suggest is the maximum % that it is practical to recover. If you think about paper used to produce books or archive materials for example – these aren’t going to be recycled.”

ends

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