af&pa releases community recycling survey results

WASHINGTON, DC – Today the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released the results of its 2007 AF&PA Community Survey.  The study shows that 87 percent of the U.S. population, or 268 million people, have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs.  While this is not a significant increase from the 2005 survey, AF&PA and its member companies are encouraged by the increase in grades of paper being recovered in existing recycling programs.  This is an important factor in helping to achieve the industry’s new aggressive goal to recover 60 percent of the paper consumed in the U.S. by 2012. 

AF&PA’s Community Survey is a comprehensive national study that measures and tracks the growth of access to community-level paper and paperboard recycling in the U.S.  The survey results complement the findings of several studies that AF&PA has conducted since 1994.  Data gathered in the survey will guide AF&PA’s work with its partners to increase the quantity and the quality of paper recovered for recycling. 

Key findings from the survey include:

• 87 percent of the U.S. population (268 million people) have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs.
• 62 percent of the U.S. population (191 million people) have access to curbside recycling programs.
• 64 percent of the U.S. population (196 million people) have access to drop-off recycling programs.
• Increased recycling access to many mixed paper grades—especially direct mail, telephone directories, and coated and uncoated paperboard.  The survey results suggest that communities with existing curbside and drop-off programs are adding paper and paperboard categories to their programs.
• Growth in curbside programs employing single-stream collection systems.
• To learn more about the 2007 AF&PA Community Survey and AF&PA recycling programs and resources, visit paperrecycles.org.

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AF&PA is the national trade association of the forest, paper, and wood products industry. AF&PA represents companies and related associations that engage in or represent the manufacture of pulp, paper, paperboard, and wood products. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 6 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing output, employs more than one million people, and ranks among the top 10 manufacturing employers in 42 states with an estimated payroll exceeding $50 billion. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org.