News Release 579

DEPARTMENT ENCOURAGES NEWSPAPERS TO MEET THE RECYCLED CONTENT GOAL FOR 2008

Volume 35-579

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, DEC. 11, 2007 -- Missouri newspapers fell short of using at least 50 percent of recycled content in their newsprint during 2006.  As 2007 is ending, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources encourages all newspapers to help reduce the amount of energy consumed in Missouri by reaching or exceeding the 50% goal, established in 2000.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, producing recycled paper requires about 60 percent of the energy used to make paper from virgin wood pulp.  Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity.  This is enough energy to power the average American home for five months.

"We applaud the newspapers who have achieved success and encourage all Missouri newspapers to use as much recycled content as possible every year," Doyle Childers, director of the Department of Natural Resources, said.  "We must continue as Missourians to make recycling a priority so we use less energy, which in turn benefits the environment."

The department will begin receiving reports for 2007 after the first of the year.  For 2006, however, there were 105 newspaper publications reporting recycled newspaper content to the department's Solid Waste Management Program.  Of the 169,219 tons of newsprint used by these newspaper publications, 83,431 tons contained recycled content. Of the 105 publications, 54 reported they met or exceeded the 50 percent recycled content usage goal.  Of those 54 publications, 37 reported using 100 percent recycled newsprint content.  In 2005, newspapers reported using 52 percent recycled content for their publications. 

Some of the larger newspapers listed in the report include the St. Louis Post-Dispatch using 65 percent recycled content, the Columbia Daily Tribune using 99 percent, the Jefferson City News Tribune using 96 percent and the Joplin Globe using 77 percent.  Two larger newspapers did not meet the 50 percent minimum of recycled material required.  Those papers included the Springfield News-Leader using only 5 percent and the Kansas City Star using 30 percent.  Both papers indicated there was not an adequate quantity of newsprint available during the reporting period.

A complete report on recycled content newsprint used by Missouri publications is available on the Department of Natural Resources' Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/rrr/newspaperRecycling.htm.

For more information on the newspaper recycled content goal, contact Jane Davis with department's Solid Waste Management Program at 573-751-5401 or 800-361-4827.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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