Independent Waste Paper Processors Association
The Waste Paper Company Limited is a member of The Recycling Association (formerly The Independent Waste Paper Processors Association) - the trade association for independent waste paper processors and their equipment suppliers.
Formed in 1975 by a group of privately owned waste paper merchants, The Association forms the largest trading network of waste paper merchants in the UK. The Association’s remit is to increase recycling rates in the UK by promoting and widening the use of recyclable papers for both economic and environmental benefits. Member companies work together to promote and provide a secure collection and recycling paper service that gives their customers the best service and prices and a guarantee of continuity of supply, whilst maintaining the highest standards throughout the industry.
Below is a recent press release from them:
PRESS RELEASE
Monday 24th November 2008
Current prices are not sustainable
Tonnage of recovered paper and board is already being lost to landfill irrespective of recycling regulations or ‘green’ initiatives to increase recovery.
As selling prices for graded recovered paper have fallen sharply over the last two months, the collectors of the material have had to similarly reduce their prices or introduce collection charges for the service.
Understandably in these times of harsh economics, individual company survival is taking precedence over recycling. With little or no income benefit from the recovered paper many source businesses are taking the decision to take the low cost option and divert the material to landfill. This may seem to be a contradiction considering the increasing cost of landfill. However, companies that have a regular waste skip exchange at a fixed price per lift are disposing of their office or packaging paper at no additional cost by filling the waste skip to capacity.
Recovered paper merchants are not immune to cost inflation and cannot absorb any of the price reductions. Over the last 10 years operating costs have increased by more than 100% but the current level of selling prices for the volume grades are now 20% lower than in 1998.
Although this country is subject to the reduced selling prices dictated by world market fluctuations, the cost of landfill in the UK is still substantially lower than elsewhere in Europe thereby limiting the ability of merchants to achieve the level of collection charges necessary to maintain adequate operating margins. The current depressed prices will not support a viable collection and processing operation.
In addition to the losses to landfill, material is also being lost due to business failures. The printing industry, which is a substantial source of higher-grade paper for recycling, is reported to have contracted by 7% – 11% in the last year and is forecast to reduce by a further 20% in 2009.
Many paper mills have been responsible in their reaction to the collapse of the export market but UK mills need to alert to their long-term supply requirements and be wary of reducing prices beyond a sustainable level. Converting minds to recycling and establishing collection systems is difficult and it is very easy to lose tonnage by depressing the price. Once lost it is even more difficult to rebuild both confidence and the collection infrastructure.
Independent Waste Paper Processors Association (IWPPA) is the trade association for independent waste paper processors and their equipment suppliers. The main business activity of our members is the collection and processing of recovered paper into secondary raw materials. The membership is spread throughout the UK and Eire and includes national waste management companies that are engaged in recovered paper processing. The materials our members process are produced to recognised international standards and sold to paper and board manufacturers in the UK and across the world on an open and highly competitive international market.
Independent Waste Paper Processors Association
Vicar Lane, Daventry, Northants, NN11 4GD
Tel: 01327 703223
Fax: 01327 300612
Formed in 1975 by a group of privately owned waste paper merchants, The IWPPA forms the largest trading network of waste paper merchants in the UK. The Association’s remit is to promote and widen the use of recyclable papers for both economic and environmental benefits within the UK and for export. Members of the IWPPA work together to promote and provide a secure collection and recycling paper service that gives their customers the best service and prices, and a guarantee of continuity of supply.