Recycling & Use of Old Corrugated Containers (OCC)
The OCC recycling rate rose from 88.8 percent in 2017 to 96.2 percent in 2018 before dipping to 92 percent in 2019. The average rate for the three-year period was 92.3 percent. The volatility was largely the result of trade flows, with net exports of OCC surging 30 percent in 2018 and then declining 14 percent in 2019.

| At Paper and Board Mills
(000 tons) | Net Exports
(000 tons) | Total
(000 tons) | Containerboard
/Unbleached Kraft Paper Supply
(000 tons) | Recycling Rate | 3-Year Avg |
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 | 29,490 | 82.2% |
2010 | 19,327 | 7,637 | 26,964 | 31,954 | 84.4% |
2011 | 19,339 | 9,784 | 29,123 | 32,137 | 90.6% |
2012 | 19,057 | 10,077 | 29,134 | 32,082 | 90.8% |
2013 | 19,805 | 9,177 | 28,982 | 32,434 | 89.4% |
2014 | 20,474 | 9,170 | 29,644 | 33,219 | 89.2% |
2015 | 21,184 | 10,141 | 31,326 | 33,728 | 92.9% |
2016 | 21,241 | 10,315 | 31,556 | 34,032 | 92.7% |
2017 | 21,987 | 9,276 | 31,263 | 35,212 | 88.8% |
2018 | 22,598 | 12,030 | 34,628 | 36013 | 96.2% | |
2019 | 21,886 | 10,308 | 32,195 | 35,001 | 92.0% | 92.3% |
Source: At Paper & Board Mills: "AF&PA's Annual Capacity and Fiber Consumption Survey"; Net Exports: U.S. Census Bureau; CB & Kraft Paper Supply: AF&PA's "Paper Industry Annual Statistical Summary"; OCC Recovery Rate: AF&PA