Paper recycling is the collection and processing of used paper products to make new paper products. The paper recycling industry, along with the valuable work it does, can also produce greenhouse gases. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a global issue that must be addressed to prevent climate change. Since China is the largest developing country in the world, rapid economic development will continue to drive its energy demand and has already made China the world’s largest CO₂ emitter. As China’s demand for paper products increases, China’s paper industry faces enormous pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Shang et al. conducted a valuable study on this topic. The results of study showed that China’s waste paper recovery rate calculated with the non-recyclable paper products in consideration presented an overall increasing trend since 2005 and reached 67.69% in 2017, much higher than that of 48.10% calculated with traditional method. The regression results reflected a negative relationship between waste paper recovery rate and CO₂ emissions per unit of paper consumption. Furthermore, the results of the rolling regression indicated that the increase in waste paper recovery rate led to stronger reduction effect on CO₂ emissions per unit of paper consumption. Since an inverted “U” shape relationship exists between waste paper recovery rate and its reduction effect on carbon emissions from the paper industry, the regression results suggested that China’s waste paper recovery rate has not reached the optimal level with regard to carbon emissions from China’s paper industry.

Thus, although China’s waste paper recovery rate has reached a relatively high level, currently waste paper recycling is still an effective method to reduce carbon emissions from China’s paper industry. Therefore, waste paper recycling should be further promoted to increase the waste paper recovery rate in China with the aim of reducing carbon emissions from China’s paper industry.

Reference:

Shang D, Diao G, Liu C, Yu L. The impact of waste paper recycling on the carbon emissions from China’s paper industry. Environmental Management. 2021;67:811-21.

Author : Samira Sheikhi