South Africa’s paper consumption hits new high
South Africans used 2.4-million tonnes of paper in 2022, the most paper since 2013. About 2-million tonnes of that was recoverable, which means it was easy to retrieve and was recyclable.
Some types of paper, such as tissues, paper towels and paper plates, are not recoverable as they’re often soiled and made from fibres that are too short to be recycled.
- Guide: How to recycle paper
About 1.2-million tonnes (61%) of the recoverable paper was sent to mills for recycling. During the Covid pandemic in 2020, paper usage dropped dramatically, probably because of the online nature of work as well as problems with paper supply. That year, though, the recycling rate was 70%.
Notebook
- The Paper Story: Paper recycling in South Africa
- Watch this YouTube video for a fun upcycling craft idea
- Our guide to recycling paper