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.

Recovery Rate Graphs 2020_Recovery OCC-source

	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