On 21 January 2020, the European Paper Recycling Awards ceremony was held at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. This competition, which takes place every two years, rewards European projects, initiatives or campaigns that improve recycling in Europe.
Organised by the European trade association European Paper Recycling Council (EPRC), the European Paper Recycling Awards recognise two projects in two categories: Innovative Technologies and R&D and Information and Education.
The winners of this 7th edition are the German company Repulping Technology for its technological developments and the international association Pro Carton for its educational work on paper recycling and the circular economy.
The Cavitation Pulper, a complete fiber recovery of complex products
The first winner invented a new technology that allows pulp fibres to be extracted from papers mixed with other materials, a recycling technology that is much easier and more energy-efficient than existing ones.
Repulping Technology's new invention, the Cavitation Pulper (or KSL), a machine that exploits the physical principle of cavitation*, enables the recovery of almost 100% of the fibres in these blended products with an energy efficiency that is approximately 50% better than other technologies.
For example, it can be used to recover fibres from liquid packaging by separating aluminium and PE from cardboard.
It is both more efficient and less strenuous.
Children at the heart of Pro Carton's TICCIT programme
As for the second prize, the Pro Carton association has set up a Europe-wide educational programme for children aged 8 to 11. Called TICCIT (pronounced "tick-it"), this educational programme Trees Into Cartons, Cartons Into Trees enables companies in the paper value chain to present the benefits of recycling in schools.
The feedback from the children is very positive and Pro Carton believes that this is leading families to a greater awareness of the importance of paper recycling.
Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050
"With the Green Deal, the EU has set itself the ambitious challenge of becoming the first climate-neutral continent in the world. But the involvement of all sectors in climate action is crucial" Jytte Gutteland, member of the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and guest of the EPRC 2019 Award, recalled the Swedish Jytte Gutteland, a member of the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
"The European Paper Recycling Award is an excellent way to highlight innovative and best practice projects and initiatives in the field of paper recycling and I am very pleased to see the strong interest and innovative applications we have received"
According to the latest EPRC report whose findings were presented at this ceremony, the recycling of paper used in Europe will reach 71.6% in 2018 (compared to 72.4% in 2017 due to a change in paper imports to China).
* Cavitation corresponds to the formation of vapour bubbles in a liquid, not due to a rise in temperature but to the mechanical action of the drop in static pressure.
