UK experts fear collapse of recovered fibre collection volumes

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As the coronavirus crisis starts to hit the UK as well, insiders in the recovered paper business fear that collection volumes will "fall off the cliff."

Collection volumes are expected to decrease due to the lockdown, which implies the closure of shops, restaurants and industrial businesses. Restricted travelling will also have an impact, experts talking to EUWID expect. It is unclear whether the surge in food retail might make up for these losses.

Recovered paper collection might be affected, as well. While the UK had designated people employed in the recycling industry as key workers, insiders still think that collections will be limited in the future. Some councils have already announced they wanted to halt recycling collections and focus on general waste.

But even the sorting of fibre from the general waste might prove challenging. Recycling companies themselves might face a shortage of staff because of workers becoming ill, having to take care of their children or finding more lucrative jobs in the food retails chain at the moment.

This article is an excerpt from EUWID's monthly report on the paper and board markets in the UK.

Find the EUWID Price Watch UK for March in EUWID Pulp and Paper issue no 13/2020, which will be available to our e-paper and print subscribers as of 25 March.

Want to find out more? Check our subscriptions or test EUWID free of charge.

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