Recovery & Use of Old
Corrugated Containers (OCC)

After increasing by 11.2% in 2010, recovery of OCC/Kraft papers for recycling rose an additional 8.0% in 2011, to a record-high 29.1 million short tons.

graph
At Paper and Board Mills
(000 tons)
Net Exports
(000 tons)
Total
(000 tons)                                       
Containerboard
/Unbleached Kraft Paper Supply
(000 tons)
Recovery Rate
1993 13,562 2,338 15,900 29,200 54.5%
1994 15,009 3,240 18,249 31,049 58.8%
1995 16,513 3,894 20,407 31,402 65.0%
1996 18,732 2,847 21,579 31,485 68.5%
1997 19,641 2,381 22,022 32,525 67.7%
1998 19,530 2,582 22,112 32,703 67.6%
1999 20,457 2,189 22,646 34,454 65.7%
2000 19,968 2,750 22,718 33,070 68.7%
2001 19,348 2,923 22,271 31,732 70.2%
2002 19,627 3,546 23,173 33,169 69.9%
2003 19,294 4,386 23,680 32,549 72.8%
2004 19,926 4,123 24,049 34,349 70.0%
2005 20,024 4,665 24,689 33,603 73.5%
2006 19,967 5,218 25,185 34,212 73.6%
2007 20,159 5,418 25,577 34,083 75.0%
2008 19,161 6,036 25,197 32,455 77.6%
2009 17,415 6,836 24,251 29,559 82.0%
2010 19,327 7,637 26,964 31,691 85.1%
2011 19,339 9,778 29,117 31,914 91.2%

did you know...

  • Paper and paperboard recovery has increased 81% between 1990 and 2011.
  • Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.
  • 87 percent (268 million) of Americans have access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling programs.
  • In 2011 the amount of paper recovered for recycling averaged 338 pounds for each man, woman and child in the United States.

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