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Recycling

AF&PA Releases 61st Paper Industry Capacity and Fiber Consumption Report

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released the 61st Paper Industry Capacity and Fiber Consumption Report, indicating overall U.S. paper and paperboard capacity declined 1.6 percent in 2020, compared to the average decline of 1.1 percent per year since 2011.

Recycling During the Pandemic: 2020 Paper and Cardboard Recycling Rates Are In!

The 2020 paper recycling rate came in at 65.7% a consistently high rate.  Meanwhile, the average recycling rate for cardboard over the last three years (from 2018 to 2020) increased to 92.4%.   

Resilient U.S. Paper Industry Maintains High Recycling Rate in 2020

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) today announced that 65.7% of paper consumed in the United States was recycled in 2020, maintaining a recycling rate that has been consistently high for over a decade. Since 2009, paper recycling has met or exceeded 63 percent—nearly double…

Statistics & Resources

AF&PA’s StatMill™ is a members-only resource that provides timely statistical reports and analysis. Monthly, quarterly and annual reports are available for immediate download. Login now to view your reports.

New York’s Extended Producer Responsibility Bill Needs a Redo, Leaving Paper Out

The New York Daily News recently ran an editorial on Albany’s proposed extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill. We agree with the editorial, and its headline statement to New York lawmakers: “Recycle This Legislative Language."

Paper and Wood Product Industry Supports Learning Opportunities for Employees

Paper products touch our lives daily. Whether it’s a tissue to blow your nose, the paper cup that holds your morning coffee or the box that delivers your online order to your front door, paper products manage to make their way into our routines.

AF&PA Announces Support for the RECYCLE Act

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock issued the following statement in support of U.S. Senators Rob Portman’s (R-OH) and Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) and Representatives David Joyce’s (R-OH) and Dean Phillips’(D-MN) introduced legislation, the RECYCLE…

What The New York Times Gets Wrong About Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Paper Recycling

A recent opinion column in the New York Times (“Recycling in America Is a Mess. A New Bill Could Clean It Up,” by Michael Kimmelman) touched on paper recycling and something called Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR. The article fell short in its characterization…

The Paper Industry Through the Eyes of a Military Veteran Control Operator: Tyrone Hussey

When Tyrone Hussey, a military veteran, walked through the doors of an Essity mill in 2003, he had no experience in being a papermaker. But he saw the opportunity to enter an industry that would grow and later become essential for his family and many Americans.

Safety, Sustainability, Recycling, Top AF&PA 2021 Advocacy Priorities

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) Board of Directors announced 2021 advocacy priorities the association will pursue to ensure the pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products industry’s continued growth and ability to create American manufacturing jobs.