Paper is recycled more than any other product in the United States – U.S.4

In 2022, 68% of paper and paper-based packaging in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. The recycling rate for cardboard, what the industry calls corrugated, was 93.6%.[1]

According to the most recent government data available, paper and paper packaging is recycled more than any other material in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream, including plastics (8.7%), glass (25%) and metals (34.1%).[2]

In 2022, 40.5% of the paper collected for recycling in the United States was used to produce containerboard (i.e. corrugated boxes), 12.7% to produce boxboard (folding boxes like cereal or medicine boxes, and gypsum wallboard, i.e. drywall/ facings.), 7.8% for tissue and 5.3% for other paper grades. Net exports accounted for 33.7%, the same as in 2021.[1]

61% of U.S. consumers surveyed believe only recycled paper should be used to make new paper products.[4] However, this is not possible because fresh wood fiber from sustainably managed forests is essential to sustain a viable paper industry. Recycled fiber would not exist without harvesting fresh fiber.[5]

94% of Americans have access to community paper recycling programs, and 79% of Americans have access to residential-curbside recycling programs.[6]

The U.S. paper industry continues to demonstrate recycling leadership, voluntarily investing nearly $7 billion in projects from 2019 through 2025 to use approximately 9 million additional tons of recovered fiber.[7]

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