IMPACT OF NEWSPRINT RECYCLING POLICIES ON CANADIAN WASTE PRODUCTION AND FORESTS

An increasing number of American states have enacted legislation which requires that newsprint contain specified amounts of recycled fibre. By the year 2001, such policies are estimated to save, at most, 3.5 pe r cent of expected Canadian landfill requirements and, for the period 1990-2001, 0.19 per cent of the stock of trees on productive forest la nds in Canada. If Canada were to adopt similar newsprint recycling leg islation, we show, contrary to what may be expected, that there would either be no impact or increases in the amount of solid waste to be di sposed of in Canada. Volumes of trees saved, for the period 1990-2001, would increase to a maximum of 0.25 per cent of the stock of trees. I nstead of enacting newsprint recycling legislation, an alternative app roach is to address the landfill and forestry issues separately with a ppropriate policies and economic instruments.