Even in today’s digital world, paper remains unique in its ability to touch our lives. Paper is renewable, recyclable and the natural support of new ideas and creativity. Running from 2nd-6th February, we will be discussing why paper is such a sustainable, effective and attractive medium.
What is Love Paper Week?
Love Paper is a global initiative for the industry to collectively champion paper and sustainability to consumers and businesses. Love Paper’s main aim is to spread awareness and challenge misconceptions around paper as many people believe paper is not recycled much, however Europe has a recycling rate of 79% in 2023 (i), extending the benefits of paper’s renewable origin.
Why Paper Still Matters
Paper is one of the most renewable resources in the world. The paper industry promotes sustainable forest management to retain the reliable supply of wood fibre, the main source of paper. These forests, directly and indirectly, also provide wider benefits for local communities and support ecosystems that hold a high level of biodiversity.
The recyclability of paper is another major benefit. Paper can be recycled many times before it degrades. Recycling generally uses less energy and has lower emissions when compared to manufacturing with virgin fibres. Although, production of materials using virgin fibres utilises renewable energy sources making both options viable.
Opting for paper packaging is one way to help tackle climate change. Forests of all types play key roles in the global carbon cycle. European forests act as a major carbon sink. Between 2010 and 2020 the average annual sequestration of carbon in forest biomass reached 155 million tonnes in the European region (ii). Unlike plastic, paper is biodegradable and can break down naturally, making it beneficial for the environment.
Paper still plays a huge part in our everyday lives. From packaging and communication to education and creative expression, paper is a medium that can’t be fully replaced with a digital alternative. The tactile experience and functionalities of paper are imperative to young learners growing up in a digital world.
England’s Simpler Recycling Scheme
To maintain the quality of recycled paper products, it is vital that paper is collected separately from other materials. This allows the recycling process to be more efficient when sorting and grading.
From 31st March 2026 there will be major changes with how recycling collections work and are separated, known as Simpler Recycling. This scheme aims to remove any confusion in terms of recycling, as many previous recycling stipulations were made by individual councils.
The Simpler Recycling system will apply to both households and workplaces throughout England. The rules state there will be separate waste collections for food waste, recyclable materials (glass, plastic, metal etc), residual waste (non-recyclable) and paper and card (iii).
As paper can be recycled multiple times, this system improves the quality of recycled paper products by removing the possibility of contaminated paper waste. Once paper has food residuals or has been mixed with non-recyclable materials it makes it difficult to process. This could lead to paper going into landfill rather than being recycled. These rules emphasise clear separation, making recycling paper easier.
Sources
- – Cepi Statistics, 2023 here
- – Forest Europe, State of Europe’s Forests 2020 here
- – Simpler Recycling, Gov.uk, 2025 here
Find out more about Love Paper week here.