EUROPE GENERATES AVALANCHE OF PAPER

MUNICH, GERMANY - Paper recycling in Europe is overshadowed by the dominance of laws and directives rather than being based on a market mechanism that had already been largely destroyed, according to Heiko Bayerl, managing director of Kartonfabrik Reiger GmbH, Germany. He addressed 700 delegates at the BIR world recycling convention in Munich in late October.

Regulated markets have resulted in 'inappropriate developments,' says Bayerl. Price is no longer related to supply and demand. Volumes increase whether customers are willing to buy, or export outlets existed.

Under the influence of the EU Packaging Directive, paper recovery has risen in five years from 39 …