Packaging

The Voluntary Standard is an industry-supported set of test protocols to evaluate the repulpability and recyclability of coated or treated corrugated board and its equivalents (OCC-e).

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in August increased 5% compared to August 2024. They were down 1% when compared to the same 8 months of 2024.

Good news! You don't need to remove tape from a cardboard box. Tape and shipping labels do not interfere with the recycling process. 

Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in July increased 5% compared to July 2024. They were down 1% when compared to the same 7 months of 2024.

Yes! Tissue boxes are recyclable. Flatten the box and then place it in your recycling bin. 

More than 33 million tons of cardboard was recycled in 2024. The cardboard recycling rate was 69% -74%.

Investing in and improving paper recycling has been an industry priority for decades. Download AF&PA's handout explaining our efforts to capture even more paper from the waste stream for recycling. 

60%-64% of paper and 69%-74% of cardboard available for recovery were recycled in the United States in 2024. U.S. mills consumed more recycled paper in 2024 compared to 2023 while exports decreased.

In 2024, around 46 million tons of paper was recycled. The paper recycling rate was 60%-64% and the cardboard recycling rate was 69%-74%.

In 2024, nearly half of recycled paper went into making containerboard — the material used to make cardboard boxes.

The 2024 cardboard recycling rate was 69% - 74%.

Paper recycling is a success. In 2024, the paper recycling rate was 60-64% and the cardboard recycling rate was 69-74%.