Successful Paper and Cardboard Recycling in the U.S.
Paper and cardboard continue to be some of the most highly recycled materials in the United States, as mentioned in an update by the American Forest & Paper Association.
In 2022, the paper recycling rate was nearly 68 percent, holding approximately stable to the 2021 rate, and the recycling rate for cardboard boxes was more than 93 percent, an increase over last year’s rate. More than two-thirds of the paper used is recycled and used to make new sustainable paper products that people use every day. But why is paper recycling so successful in the USA? As reported by the American Forest & Paper Association, the paper and wood products industry is inherently circular. The products are made from renewable resources – trees – and recycled paper and are easily recycled. Paper recycling is also successful because of the millions of people who recycle daily and the industry’s ongoing investments.
(Published in GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine 3/2023, Page 12)
