Canada: Paper is highly recycled – Can3

Paper Leads Canada’s Recycling and Waste Diversion Efforts

Of the total amount of Canadian waste diverted from the landfills through recycling or composting (9.9 million tons) in 2022, the majority was paper (36%). Less than 4% was plastic. [1]

The average recycled content of Canada’s three major packaging grades – containerboard (used to make corrugated boxes), boxboard (used to make boxboard cartons), and kraft paper (used to make paper bags) – was 80.2% in 2022, up from 73.5% in 2018. The average has steadily increased from 47% in 1990. [2]

96% of all Canadians now have access to the convenient recycling of corrugated boxes, paperboard or boxboard cartons, and kraft paper bags. [2]