EFI rebate for paper recycling hits $3M

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Call it an economic indicator. North Portland-based EFI Recycling announced this week that its 245 Portland-area business clients received $3 million back for their paper recycling efforts in 2010.

That's up from $1.5 million paid back to 220 EFI clients in 2009.

The jump means that the prices EFI got for its discarded paper, processed through a plant on Swan Island, were essentially double what they were getting last year.

"In 2009 we had a lot of factors against us," said Scott Jenkins, vice president and chief operating officer at EFI. "There wasn't a lot of demand for the product."

And what happened in 2010?

"China," said Jenkins.

Driven in part by demand from overseas the market for recycled paper stock jumped this year, Jenkins said, as the economy recovered and more goods were sold, packed and shipped in boxes made from recycled paper.

In 2011, Jenkins expects to see a leveling off.

"I'm planning for the price to come down a little bit, but to stay high as an average," he said.

EFI Recycling, which collected about 90,000 tons of commercial paper waste for recycling last year, employs 28 people. The company runs a shredding business, called EnviroShred NW, a recycling plant, and a paper-related commodity brokerage.

In 2009, EFI acquired the assets of Vancouver-based Market Fibers.

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