Paper Recovery & Landfill

The amount of paper going to landfills is estimated to have declined significantly over the past ten years, from about 36 million tons in 2007 to approximately 22 million tons in 2017. The decline was partly attributable to a rise in the paper recovery rate. In addition to recycling, some paper is diverted from landfills because it is disposed of in other ways such as via incineration with energy recovery or, in the case of bathroom tissue, via the sewer system.