37 TEMA CENTRAL I MAIN TOPIC Andrea Orallo, Recycling Director at ASPAPEL of total paper consumption in Spain, consolidating its position as the most in-demand category. Paper and cardboard packaging has positioned itself as a functional, sustainable, and socially valued solution. Compared to models still under development, paper and cardboard stand out for their proven circularity: they come from a natural, non-fossil, renewable, and recyclable raw material, which is massively recycled and reintroduced into the production cycle thanks to a system implemented throughout Europe. According to the latest Eurostat data, 78.3% of paper and cardboard packaging was recycled in Spain in 2022, surpassing the European targets set for subsequent years. This high figure is not a coincidence, but the result of decades of commitment by the paper industry and its value chain, building an effective model based on three pillars: widespread selective collection in industries, businesses, and municipalities; a widespread network of recovery plants; and a national paper industry capable of recycling all materials that meet quality standards. This system, now widely consolidated, has positioned Spain as the third country in the European Union with the highest paper and cardboard recycling rates. Furthermore, its presence is not limited to Spain but extends throughout Europe, allowing cardboard packaging exported to another European country to be recycled locally without having to return to its country of origin. In view of the upcoming update of the Royal Decree on packaging and packaging waste, it is essential that sectors that do things right are not penalized. Public policies must recognize the progress already made by value chains such as the paper and cardboard industry, which exceed European objectives and actively contribute to the development of a fully operational circular economy model. Any attempt to impose measures that do not take these realities into account—such as a forced transition to reuse models, which are not always viable or necessarily more sustainable—can represent a setback, both from an environmental and economic perspective. A sustainable and versatile option Paper and cardboard products evolve in line with the needs of society, and currently, packaging made from these materials is widely present in the products we consume daily. Although we may not always see them, they play a key role in ensuring that they reach us in perfect condition. Thanks to innovation and sustained investment in the sector—which in 2023 represented 5.5% of total turnover—paper and cardboard packaging has been developed that is perfectly adapted to the uses, needs, and technical requirements of different industrial sectors. And all this without sacrificing its greatest hallmark: its environmentally friendly nature. An example of this is the reduction of more than 16% in the weight of cardboard packaging since 1993, a significant improvement that responds to growing demands for eco-design. Likewise, cardboard boxes continue to be the preferred option for logistics. Their light weight, the ease with which they can be stored folded, their strength, and their aforementioned recyclability make them an efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective solution for transporting goods. In short, paper and cardboard packaging is a current reality. A circular and established reality that already works and must continue to be an essential part of future models. The paper industry's commitment is and will continue to be to continue improving this recycling system and offering society packaging that combines sustainability, functionality, and efficiency Paper and cardboard: Pointing the way to circular packaging
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