Papieratlas 2026: City Honored as a “Multiple Winner”

As part of the 2026 Paper Atlas, the city of Erlangen is being recognized as a “multiple winner” for its long-standing, exemplary commitment to the use of Blue Angel-certified recycled paper. For seven years, Erlangen has consistently achieved top results in the Papieratlas city competition organized by the Initiative Pro Recyclingpapier (IPR). The 114 participating large and medium-sized cities were able to increase the average recycled paper usage rate to over 91 percent.

Over the past seven years, 17.4 million liters of water and 3.9 million kilowatt-hours of energy have been saved

The city of Erlangen consistently uses 100 percent Blue Angel-certified paper in its administrative offices, schools, and in-house print shop. It thus achieves an overall recycled paper rate of 100 percent. Over the entire seven-year period, Erlangen has saved an impressive

• 17.4 million liters of water and
• 3.9 million kilowatt-hours of energy.

This water savings is equivalent to the daily needs of more than 140,000 people. The energy saved could cover the annual electricity needs of 1,126 three-person households.

Since 2008, the Paper Atlas has documented paper consumption and recycled paper rates in German cities on an annual basis. Since 2016, it has also included universities, and since 2018, counties. Its cooperation partners are

• the Federal Ministry for the Environment
• the Federal Environment Agency
• the German Association of Cities
• the German Association of Cities and Municipalities
• the German County Association, and
• the German Association of Universities and Colleges.

The competitions are held under the patronage of Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider.