Content area
Full Text
Consumer participation in recycling, improvements in technology, increased consumption of paper products, and liberalization of international trade together have had an enormous influence on employment in paper-related industries
Paper is an indispensable component in the production, packaging, and delivery of a wide variety of products used daily by most Americans. For many it begins with breakfast. Most of us would be lost without our newspaper, coffee filters, napkins, cereal boxes, and milk and juice cartons. In some cases, our entire breakfast is baked, sold, reheated, and served in its original paperboard box.
Americans consume more paper than do the citizens of most countries. Compared with the 1994 world average of 97 pounds, the U.S. per capita consumption of paper is more than 700 pounds, approximately 2 pounds per person per day. Per capita consumption of paper products in the United States has grown 43 percent since 1980.1
Steady increases in paper consumption have had divergent impacts on employment in manufacturing production, in wholesale trade distribution, and in recycling collection. Employment in paper manufacturing, which historically has been volatile, has fluctuated less in recent years. Employment gains have been elusive, however, and 16,000 jobs have been lost, on net, since 1990.2 At the same time, employment in recycling collection and paper distribution reflects a steady and increasing rate of growth. Increases in these jobs in recent history have far outweighed employment declines in paper manufacturing.
Employment is driven in part by changing regulations and consumer demands. New government regulations and an environmentally conscious population have required industry to use more recycled waste and to produce fewer contaminants in production. These changes have led to costly, but necessary, investments in new equipment. Improvements have been implemented with state-of-the-art technology, resulting in less labor-intensive employment. While increased productivity within paper manufacturing has allowed output to grow even in times when employment has not, recycling and exports have buoyed employment in the paper-related industries.
This article examines the changing market for paper, including the demand for recycled products and exports, and its effect on employment trends.
Types of paper
Paper manufacturers produce both paper and paperboard products. The designation "paper industry" generally refers to the production of both products. Paperboard is used to make items for the packaging...