The end of the General Assembly’s legislative session is marked by throwing papers into the air, a long held tradition that raised concerns by some legislators due to the lack of adequate recycling bins under the Gold Dome. So, GFA partnered with member company WestRock to enhance the recycling capabilities of the Georgia Building Authority for the final week of the legislative session while raising awareness of the sustainability of Georgia’s pulp and paper sector.
- The project was prompted by a House Resolution to establish a study committee on recycling by Rep. Mesha Mainor (D-Atlanta). The resolution did not pass before the session finished; however, GFA’s Government Affairs team leveraged the opportunity to build relationships and raise awareness.
- Thanks to quick action by the team at WestRock, 42 paper recycling bins were delivered to the Capitol complex and served as an important reminder that Georgia is not only the #1 state for forestry but also the #3 state for recycled paper.
- Recovered fiber plays an important role in Georgia’s massive pulp and paper manufacturing sector and serves as an important proof point of our sectors environmental success story. In the United States, 60% of paper is recycled as compared to only 4.5% of plastic.