Paper Recycling is a Success Story
Paper industry maintains consistently high recycling rates.
Our industry voluntarily set a goal to help improve paper recycling back in the 1990s. The recycling rate has doubled since that time.
How Statewide Recovery Programs Can Be Successful
We support state or regional needs assessments. These provide baseline information about how different materials are managed. They are an important tool to develop data-based and informed policy solutions.
They include a look at:
- Existing collection methods
- Processing infrastructure
- Waste management practices
- Costs
Identifying the successful parts of existing recycling programs will help states reproduce solutions that already work.
We believe state and regional needs assessments need to be completed before an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program is considered.
We also support efforts that recognize education about the right way to recycle is needed. This is one of the best ways we can increase the quantity and quality of paper in the recycling stream.
When considering an EPR program, we believe EPR policies should:
- Fully and fairly credit paper recycling success.
- Be carefully designed to avoid disrupting successful paper recycling infrastructure.
- Not require one material to subsidize a competing material’s recycling infrastructure development.
EPR programs can be an effective way to improve recycling for materials with low recycling rates. But paper is already a highly and widely recycled material.
Paper recycling works because of widely available paper recycling programs, the millions of people who recycle every day, recycling education and our industry’s continued investment in recycling.
Paper recycling should be used as a roadmap for improving recycling rates without impeding our success.
Paper Recycling is a Model that Works
Paper is one of the most widely recycled materials in the U.S. According to the EPA, more paper by weight is recovered for recycling from municipal solid waste streams than plastic, glass, steel, and aluminum combined. Our industry’s success in paper recycling is because our systems are voluntary and market-driven.
63%
recycling rate
since 2009
About 80%
of U.S. mills use
recycled fiber
$7B
in mill investments
(2019-2025)
Our Continued Commitment to Paper Recycling
Paper recycling is stronger than ever. We already maintain high recycling rates - nearly 68% for all paper. But our commitment doesn't end there.
Our industry is contributing to a more circular and sustainable future, with nearly $7 billion in manufacturing infrastructure investments completed or announced during 2019-2025, to continue the best use of recycled fiber in manufacturing our products.
Dive Deeper Into The Paper Recycling Success Story
What is Extended Producer Responsibility?
EPR programs can be an effective way to improve recycling for materials with low recycling rates. But paper is already a highly and widely recycled material. Learn more about EPR.
How Paper Recycling Works
At paper mills across the country, recycled paper is used to make the essential products millions of people rely on. Dive deeper into the recycling process.
What is the Paper Industry Doing to Improve Recycling?
Investing in and improving paper recycling has been on the industry's mind and part of our goals for decades. Learn how the industry is investing to advance the circular economy and paper recycling.