Revised Formula Gives Lower OCC Recycling Rate

Resource Recycling (11/19/24) Staub, Colin

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) this past month overhauled its methodology for calculating fiber recycling rates, bringing a substantially lower OCC recovery figure than the industry previously posted. The 2023 U.S. paper recycling rate came in at a range of 65% to 69%. Meanwhile, the OCC recycling rate came in at a range of 71% to 76%. Both rates were calculated utilizing a new "supply-based" methodology that captures the amount of material recycled out of the amount of that material that is available for recycling, factoring in imports. The previous methodology looked specifically at the amount of paper recycled as a share of the amount of paper produced in the United States minus exports of new paper.

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