Packaging Recovery
Most recent data (2017) published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that paper and paperboard packaging accounts for three-quarters of all packaging materials recovered for recycling in the U.S.

Packaging Type | Million Tons Recycled | Share of Total |
Paper and Paperboard | 30.08 | 75.0% |
Glass | 3.03 | 7.6% |
Steel & Aluminum | 2.09 | 5.2% |
Plastic | 1.89 | 4.7% |
All Other | 3 | 7.5% |
Total | 40.09 | 100% |
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Source: "Advancing Sustainable Materials Management," 2017 Fact Sheet, EPA, November 2019