Forecast Period | 2024-2028 |
Market Size, By Volume (2022) | 41.84 Million Tonnes |
CAGR (2023-2028) | 5.60% |
Fastest Growing Segment | Containerboard |
Largest Market | Mid-West Region |
Market Overview
United States
Recovered paper refers to paper and paperboard products that have been used and collected for recycling. These materials are processed and repurposed into new paper and paperboard products. The recovered paper market is a vital component of the larger recycling industry, contributing to the circular economy by reducing the need for virgin pulp and conserving natural resources.
Growing environmental awareness has driven consumers and businesses to demand more sustainable and eco-friendly products. Recovered paper supports these initiatives by reducing the industry's carbon footprint and conserving trees, water, and energy.
Key Market Drivers
Environmental Awareness and Sustainability
Increasing environmental awareness among consumers has led to a greater demand for eco-friendly products. People are actively seeking out products that have a lower environmental impact. Recycled paper products, made from recovered paper, are perceived as more environmentally responsible and sustainable alternatives to those made from virgin materials.
Sustainability initiatives have pushed consumers and businesses to prioritize sustainable packaging solutions. This includes corrugated cardboard boxes, packaging materials, and labels made from recovered paper. As e-commerce continues to grow, the demand for sustainable packaging is on the rise, further driving the demand for recovered paper.
The recovered paper market directly contributes to the reduction of deforestation. As consumers and companies seek to protect forests and preserve biodiversity, the use of recovered paper helps reduce the need for cutting down trees for paper production. This aligns with the goals of environmental organizations and sustainability initiatives.
Environmental awareness has prompted governments at various levels to introduce and enforce regulations aimed at reducing waste and promoting recycling. These regulations often require businesses to use recycled content in their products. As a result, industries turn to recovered paper to meet these regulatory requirements.
Technological Advancements
Modern recycling facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art sorting and screening technologies. Automated conveyor belts, optical sorters, and air classifiers help separate different types of paper, removing contaminants like plastic, glass, and metal. This advanced sorting reduces the contamination levels in recovered paper, making it more valuable and suitable for reuse. Technology allows for more precise quality control in the recycling process. Sensors and scanners can identify and eliminate low-quality or non-recyclable materials, ensuring that the recovered paper meets industry standards and customer requirements.
Sustainable technologies have made recycling more energy efficient. Modern recycling plants are designed to minimize energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with sustainability goals. This makes recycling a more attractive option for environmentally conscious companies.

E-Commerce and Packaging Industry
Think about ite-commerce is built on getting your stuff to you safe and sound, right? That means lots and lots of packaging! With more of us shopping online these days, the need for all that packaging has really taken off. You know those brown corrugated cardboard boxes? Well, they're usually made from recovered paper, and they're everywhere now thanks to all the online shopping. So, naturally, we're using a ton more recovered paper. Luckily, both shoppers and online stores are waking up to the importance of being green. Sustainable packaging is the cool new thing, and recovered paper is seen as a pretty awesome choice for that. That's why more and more e-commerce companies are choosing recycled and recyclable packaging, like boxes, inserts, and wrapping, all made from that good ol' recovered paper.
E-commerce businesses often require customized packaging solutions to accommodate various product shapes and sizes. Recovered paper is versatile and can be easily molded into different forms, making it suitable for creating custom packaging solutions tailored to the needs of online retailers.
Circular Economy Initiatives
Circular economy initiatives emphasize the importance of recycling as a means to reduce waste and conserve resources. Recovered paper is a prime example of a material that can be recycled multiple times without significant loss of quality. As such, circular economy principles encourage the recycling of paper products, boosting the demand for recovered paper. Circular economy initiatives aim to minimize the consumption of virgin resources, such as trees for paper production. By using recovered paper as a feedstock, the paper industry reduces its reliance on virgin pulp, contributing to resource conservation.
Circular economy principles advocate for designing products and packaging with recycling in mind. Manufacturers are encouraged to use materials that are easily recyclable, which includes paper products made from recovered paper. This drives the demand for such products and encourages their incorporation into the supply chain.
Key Market Challenges
Contamination Issues
Contaminants in recovered paper reduce the quality of recycled paper products. For instance, food residue can stain and degrade paper fibers, making them less suitable for high-quality paper and packaging products.
Availability of Alternative Treatments
China was historically one of the largest importers of recovered paper from the United States. However, in recent years, China has implemented stricter import policies, such as the "National Sword" policy and the "Blue Sky" policy, which set stringent contamination limits and banned certain types of recovered paper imports.

Key Market Trends
Increased Sustainability Awareness
One of the most significant trends in the US recovered paper market is the surge in sustainability awareness. Consumers, businesses, and governments are increasingly recognizing the environmental benefits of using recycled paper products. This trend is driven by concerns about deforestation, climate change, and a desire to reduce the carbon footprint of paper production.
E-commerce Boom and Packaging Demand
One of the most prominent developments in the US recovered paper market has been the exponential growth of e-commerce. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to online shopping, leading to an unprecedented demand for packaging materials, particularly corrugated cardboard made from recovered paper. As e-commerce continues to flourish, the need for sustainable packaging solutions is driving the demand for recovered paper in the US.
Segmental Insights
Grade Insights
In the US, when we talk about recycling paper, it's not just one big pile! It's sorted into different categories, or "grades," each with its own purpose. Think of it like thissorting makes sure the right paper ends up being used in the best way possible. Want to know more? Here's a quick peek at some of the usual suspects. OCC, that's your trusty old corrugated cardboard – the stuff those shipping boxes are made of! It's the big kahuna of recycled paper, perfect for making new boxes and other paper goodies. Then there's "mixed paper," which is pretty much what it sounds likea mix of stuff like magazines, newspapers, office paper, even that junk mail you get (sorry!). And, last but not least, is hard mixed paper which includes a mix of paper and paperboard materials. You can read more about it here.
Type Insights
The US market for recycled paper is really interesting! It's a constantly changing industry that's super important for recycling and getting the paper and packaging industries the stuff they need. Two big parts of this market are containerboard and tissue paper. Containerboard is what they use to make those corrugated boxes we see everywhere, and tissue paper includes everything from facial tissues to, well, you know. Containerboard, or corrugated paperboard as some call it, is really strong paper that's mainly used for those corrugated boxes and other packaging. It's basically the backbone of the packaging industry, giving boxes the strength they need to protect and move all kinds of products. A lot of the fiber needed to make containerboard comes from the recovered paper market in the US. Old Corrugated Containers, or OCC, are the main source of recycled fiber for this. And because e-commerce is booming and more people want sustainable packaging, OCC and containerboard production are becoming even more important.
Regional Insights
United States recovered paper market is a complex and diverse industry with regional variations influenced by factors such as population density, industrial activity, recycling infrastructure, and economic conditions. The Mid-West region has a robust recycling culture and infrastructure. High population density and a strong focus on sustainability drive demand for recovered paper. The proximity to major ports facilitates the export of recovered paper to overseas markets, particularly in Asia.
The Mid-west – think Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan – is a manufacturing powerhouse, which means they need a lot of recovered paper to keep things moving in packaging and other industries. Those paper mills in the region? They really depend on that recovered paper, especially for making containerboard. Plus, being near the Great Lakes gives them easy access to shipping, which is super handy for moving all that recycled paper around. Now, head over to the Northeast, like New York and Pennsylvania, and it's a different story. You've got bustling cities and quiet countryside, so recycling is all over the place. Big cities usually have awesome recycling programs, but if you're out in the sticks, finding a recycling center can be a challenge.
Recent Developments
- In its quarterlyreport in July 2023, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), headquarteredin Brussels, evaluated the current state of the recovered paper industry.Despite the considerable challenges faced in the United States, the globalsituation doesn't seem to be any more favorable. According to Francisco Donoso,the President of BIR's Paper Division and associated with Spain-based DolafServices Verdes S.L., the predominant issue affecting the recovered papermarket worldwide is a pervasive lack of demand. This issue is particularlypronounced due to reduced consumption of finished goods, resulting indiminished demand for packaging materials.
Key Market Players
- International Paper
- Westrock Co
- Pratt Industries, Inc.
- Sonoco Products Company
- Cascades Inc
- Packaging Corp Of America
- Koch Industries
In this report, the United States Recovered Paper Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below
- United States Recovered Paper Market, By Grade
- United States Recovered Paper Market, By Type
- United States Recovered Paper Market, By End User Industry
- United States Recovered Paper Market, By Region
Competitive Landscape
Company Profiles
found at Customizations
Company Information
- Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).
United States Recovered Paper Market is an upcoming report to be released soon. If you wish an early delivery of this report or want to confirm the date of release, please contact us at