Wood and Paper Recycling Could Achieve 10-20% of U.S. Carbon Reduction Goal

Wood and paper recycling could be used to achieve 10-20% of the U.S. carbon reduction goal, according to scientists at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. Recycling wood and paper reduces net carbon emissions by reducing timber harvesting, which in turn increases the amount of carbon sequestered by living trees, and by saving energy used to process raw materials. By the year 2010, they concluded, the combined effects could offset 20 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions per year—up to 30 million with more aggressive use of recycled wood and paper products in building construction. Total net carbon emissions in the U.S. are about 1.2 billion metric tonnes per year, and the U.S. goal is a reduction of 10% from 1990 levels by the year 2000.