The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) has issued a strong response to objectives by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to increase the use of recycled paper by 50%.


"Our view has been that WRAPs target should be tackling the obstacles that are blocking investment," said CPI director general Peter Scott.


He said he was concerned that increases could lead to the UK becoming more dependent on foreign imports of recycled paper, which the CPI and UK paper industry are strongly against.


WRAP is a non-profit company set up as part of a three-year initiative, supported by some 40m of funding by the government.


The proposed targets outlined in WRAPs draft business plan, published this week, to be implemented by the end of 2003 or in 2004, include:


* A rise of 500,000 tonnes in newspaper recycling, based on development of new reprocessing capacity


* An increase of 180,000 tonnes in recovered paper used in the graphics, printings and writings sector, based on new reprocessing capacity and increase of recovered paper


* A 100% increase in market share for recycled paper in the graphics, printings and writings sector.


"We want to signal to the paper industry that there will be extra resources to support additional recycling capacity," said WRAP policy director Ray Georgeson.


He was keen to point out that WRAP was not about setting targets, but said he was well aware of the concerns of the paper industry.


"We know there is demand in the UK for recycling to increase and we want to support this and encourage investment in the UK," Georgeson said.


Story by Andy Scott