2005 AF&PA Community Survey Executive Summary
Since 1994, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has performed a series of national surveys to measure the extent and track the growth of access to community-level paper and paperboard recycling. In recent iterations, the survey has also addressed the prevalence of single stream collection in curbside recycling systems. This Executive Summary presents background information on the survey methodology and highlights notable findings of the 2005 AF&PA Community Survey (“2005 Survey"), as well as trends from prior years. Complete details can be found in the main body of this report.
Survey Background
According to the U.S. Census Bureau database used for this study, there are a total of 3,141 counties in the United States, containing a population of 295.6 million people and 34,030 communities (as of January 1, 2005). To estimate the extent of paper/paperboard recycling in the U.S., this study relied on the following data gathering strategies:
- Direct Survey of Large Communities: Because recycling is generally more prevalent in populous areas, the survey targeted county-level recycling coordinators from over 1,300 of the most populous counties in the nation. These county-level coordinators were asked to provide paper/paperboard recycling information for the 20,820 communities in their counties. Responses to the direct survey were received from 88 percent of these communities, 82 percent of the total population of the U.S. Note that the geographic coverage achieved with these response rates is extremely high and provides high quality data on community recycling.
- Representative Sample of Small Communities: Of the remaining 13,210 communities (covering 9 percent of the U.S. population) not captured in the direct survey, a random sample of communities was used to extrapolate nationwide totals for the number of communities with access to paper/paperboard recycling. Random sample results contain +/-5 percent at a 95 percent confidence interval.
Throughout this report, survey results have been reported using two different metrics. First, results have been reported using the percentage of population with access to paper/paperboard recycling as a basis for measurement. Population is easily understood and can be readily compared against prior surveys and other studies that are relevant or comparable to this one. Second, results are reported based on the number of communities as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. However, unlike population, the definition of a “community” has changed as a result of the 2000 Census update. Therefore, the definition of a community as applied in this study may differ from other studies that purport to provide similar results, as well as from prior Community Surveys. For this reason, results by population are presented as the primary measurement of survey results, supplemented with results by number of communities with access. For purposes of comparing the 2005 Survey with prior survey results, we have provided the percentages, rather than the absolute number, to somewhat normalize for the 2000 census database changes. Although both of these result sets are presented here, the results by population are most useful for trend analysis and comparison with other data sources.
Results Summary
Notable results of the 2005 AF&PA Community Survey are highlighted in the bullets and graphics that follow.
Sustained High Level of Paper/Paperboard Recycling Programs: Whether measured by the percentage of population or by the number of communities with access, the 2005 Survey suggests that high levels of paper/paperboard curbside and drop-off recycling have been sustained since the survey was last conducted in 2000. Table ES-1 summarizes the population and number of communities with access to paper and paperboard recycling in total, in curbside programs and in drop-off programs.
Table ES-1
2005 Paper/Paperboard Recycling Program Summary
Results by Population with Access |
Results by Community |
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Population (Millions) |
Percent of U.S. Total |
Number of Communities |
Percent of U.S. Total |
|
| Curbside Recycling Programs | 148 |
56% |
9,119 |
27% |
| Drop-off Recycling Programs | 165 |
64% |
20,240 |
59% |
| Total Recycling Programs | 254 |
86% |
23,519 |
69% |
Meaningful Expansion of Paper Recycling in Existing Programs: Although topline paper recycling program growth was negligible, it is of interest to note that recycling access to many of the mixed paper grades—especially direct mail, telephone directories, and coated and uncoated paperboard—has grown significantly since the 2000 Survey. This suggests that communities with existing curbside and drop-off programs are adding additional paper and paperboard categories to these programs. Although it was beyond the scope of this project to evaluate the reasons for program expansions, such expansions would be expected to increase diversion with minimal investment by communities across the country, assuming markets for these paper grades exist.
Figures ES-1 and ES-2 compare the percentage of population and percentage of communities with access to paper/paperboard recycling, respectively. Similar graphics are contained in the body of this report for curbside paper/paperboard recycling and drop-off paper/paperboard recycling and are not shown here.
Figure ES-1 |
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| * “Collecting Paper” refers to the total population with access to at least one paper or paperboard category. |
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| * “Collecting Paper” refers to the total number of programs that collect at least one paper or paperboard category. |
Growth in Single Stream Collection: So-called single stream recycling—where all fiber grades and all recyclable containers are commingled together in one compartment on the recycling collection vehicle—has been an emerging trend for several years. The prevalence of single stream collection was first evaluated in the 2000 Survey, and again in the 2005 Survey. As shown in Figure ES-3, the growth in single stream recycling (both with and without glass) is significant since 2000. In 2000, only 11 percent of the population with curbside recycling had access to a single stream program. By 2005, that number has increased to 27 percent. This equates to an annualized growth rate of 20 percent. Although not shown here, the main body of the report also summarizes an increase in geographic dispersion of single stream recycling collection, which suggests an increase in the number and geographic distribution of material recovery facilities that are capable of processing such material.
Future Trends: The 2005 Survey contained several questions seeking information on plans to convert to single stream collection. Of communities with dual stream or curbsort collection, 3.0 percent reported plans to convert to a single stream system in the near future. This trend should be monitored in subsequent iterations of the survey.
Full results of the survey, as well as additional analysis, can be found in the main body of the report and accompanying appendices.
- More than 69% of all old newspapers in the United States are recovered for recycling
- To see a map that highlights the availability of curbside and/or drop-off paper recycling programs for each state, please click here.
- By 2012, the paper industry hopes to recover 55 percent of all the paper Americans consume