USA paper recycling rate dips

United States – The American Forest & Paper Association has revealed that the recycling rate for paper and paperboard averaged 63.5% in 2013, ‘down slightly’ from the previous year’€™s recovery rate of 65.1%.

Last year saw more than 50 million tonnes of paper and paperboard recovered for recycling by domestic mills or exported to end consumers. This means that domestic consumption of recovered fibre increased by 230 000 tonnes in 2013, AF&PA pointed out. That said, the 6.3% decline in the export of recovered fibre does not appear to bode well for the paper sector globally.

Meanwhile, the AF&PA announced it has joined the new Recycling Partnership, set up by the Southeast Recycling Development Council, which covers 11 US states, and the national organisation Curbside Value Partnership. The partnership aims to drive sustainable increases in the amount of recyclable commodities recovered in the southeast USA, and then expand nationally.

For more information, visit: www.afandpa.org