The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has announced that 65-69 per cent of recyclable paper is being recycled in the US in 2023. This equates to approximately 46 million tonnes of paper, or 126,000 tonnes per day.

The cardboard recycling rate of 71%-76% in 2023 equates to nearly 33 million tonnes of cardboard being recycled, or 90,000 tonnes per day. This recycling rate includes all major collection channels, including industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential, combined with a broader analysis of U.S. trade data.

The 2023 paper recovery rate is the first to use AF&PA's updated methodology, which draws on a wide range of industry data, expertise, and detailed U.S. trade data to account for the continued shift in the U.S. trade balance towards imports.

Where Recovered Paper Goes in 2023 In 2023, nearly half of all recovered paper is used in the manufacture of containerboard - the material used to make cardboard boxes.

Calculations for 2023 show that paper remains one of the highest recycled materials in the U.S., and the industry recycles nearly 60 percent more paper today than it did in 1990 when the original recycling rate goal was established.