Germany may face with a shortage of waste paper, which may lead to the shortage of toilet paper and newspapers in the country, according to recent statements, made by some German state officials and some local media reports.
That became mainly due to the pandemic, which led to a significant decline of the volume of waste paper, accumulated in the country and the rates of its collection.
The situation is also complicated by a significant reduction of waste paper imports to Germany in recent months. Prior to the pandemic, the annual imports of waste paper to Germany estimated at about 5 million tonnes, primarily from Netherlands, however the situation has changed since the beginning of 2020.
Widespread border closures also contributed to the shortage of waste paper. Only Ikea alone, with its furniture packaging, usually produces a huge amount of waste paper in the form of paper and cardboard. The same applies to large chains selling electronic goods.
By: Eugen Gerden