Imagine dumping over 8 million tonnes of used paper into the garbage every year only to import more than half that quantity to meet domestic needs for paper production.
In India, over 11 million tonnes of paper is used annually but just about 3 million tonnes is recovered for recycling. Paper mills import 4.6 million tonnes of used paper every year from the US and Europe to meet their raw material requirement. In developed countries, nearly 75 per cent of the used paper is recovered, according to Jogarao Bhamidipati, Divisional Head (Commercial), ITC Ltd.
At about Rs 8 a kg for waste paper, about Rs 6,400 crore of valuable resource is simply being wasted even as mills spend $1.5 billion (Rs 7,500 crore) on importing half that quantity of paper.
What is needed is a government-backed policy to encourage waste segregation at home, systematic collection and public awareness, he said.
Waste paper, or as the paper industry calls it, recovered fibre, is a raw material to make more paper and supplements pulp wood. With the focus on conservation, most countries are calling for increased recycled paper content in finished paper.
Addressing a seminar on Indian paper industry organised by RISI, a global information provider for the industry, Jogarao said recovery is limited to old newspapers that are collected by the vendors. But houses and offices dispose a lot more paper into the garbage.
Waste disposal
Local bodies in cities spend crores of rupees to manage waste disposal. More than half the urban waste is paper, which when recovered will generate revenue and less money will have to be spent on handling waste.
ITC started a campaign in 2007 and has managed to recover about 4,500 tonnes of paper every month from houses and offices across a number of cities. It hopes to reach about 7,000 tonnes by March. The company uses about 1.20 lakh tonnes of recovered fibre every year and imports about 30,000 tonnes, Jogarao said.
Globally, the demand for waste paper is increasing and India could actually face a shortage of waste paper. Also, Western countries are cutting down on paper use and increasingly recycling paper themselves.
According to a study by RISI, the global recovered paper demand is about 225 million tonnes with 70 million tonnes being added in the last decade. Of this Asia alone has contributed 60 million tonnes to the additional demand. China and India will be major markets but the diminishing supply from the West could cause a shortage. Domestic collection will be the only option.
balaji.ar@thehindu.co.in