Newspaper recycling rate triples

New environmental standards for the press industry have seen the newsprint recycling rate almost triple, it was revealed today.

A new code was presented to Minister for the Environment John Gormley this morning by a group consisting of publishers, wholesalers and retailers.

One of the main initiatives in the code is that shops return unsold copies of newspapers in full to the wholesaler for recycling. In the past, shops would only have returned the newspaper barcode and most of the paper would have gone to landfill.

As a result, newsprint recycling rates in Ireland have increased from 28 per cent in 2002 to 75 per cent last year.

Mr Gormley said the initiative would not just benefit the environment, but would be of economic benefit to the industry, he said. He urged members of the press industry to keep in mind the importance of green procurement which would be part of the revised programme for Government. He emphasised the cost savings and job creation which could come from green initiatives.

Frank Cullen of the National Newspaper of Ireland (NNI) said it was the first time in the history of the newspaper and magazine industry that all stakeholders in the press supply chain had worked together on a common goal.

The standards would improve the environmental performance of Ireland's "paper chain£, would ensure greater consistency and would contribute to the continued freedom of the press and freedom to publish, he said.