University of Erfurt increases share of recycled paper by over 50 percentage points

The University of Erfurt has increased the proportion of recycled paper with the Blue Angel in its administration by 54.54 percentage points to 56.31 per cent within one year. This puts it in second place among the "climbers of the year" in the 2021 Paper Atlas University Competition of the Initiative Pro Recycling Paper (IPR).

The title of "Rising Star of the Year" goes to the University of Passau. The University of Bremen prevails as the "Most Recycling Paper-Friendly University" and the University of Osnabrück receives the special award "Multiple Winner".

The Paper Atlas has been mapping paper consumption and the share of Blue Angel paper in German universities since 2016. Partners of the competition are the Federal Ministry for the Environment, the Federal Environment Agency and the German University Association. With 50 participants for the first time and an average recycled paper quota of 78 percent, the universities set two new records this year.

By using recycled paper, the University of Erfurt is making an important contribution to climate protection and resource conservation: compared to virgin fibre paper, its production saves at least 60 percent water and energy and causes significantly fewer CO2 emissions. In this way, the University of Erfurt was able to save more than 147,000 litres of water and over 30,000 kilowatt hours of energy last year.