AF&PA discusses US access to paper, paperboard recycling

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), Washington, recently released the results of several studies that look into access to paper and paperboard recycling, containerboard production and old corrugated container (OCC) consumption in 2021—all of which showed mostly positive results despite challenges to the recycling industry during the course of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

During a briefing on the studies’ findings, members of the AF&PA discussed the results and offered a look into how the paper industry is addressing issues like access to recycling, sustainability and consumer education.

The AF&PA released preliminary 2021 data from U.S. paper and paperboard mills indicating record containerboard production. According to the report, total containerboard production in 2021 increased 5.6 percent compared with 2020—the ninth increase in the past 10 years. In a second report released this month, the organization says mills consumed 24.3 million tons of old corrugated containers (OCC) in 2021, the highest level ever reached by the industry and a 26 percent increase over the last decade. “This show that the efforts of diligent consumers recycling paper every day and our industry’s commitment to promote sustainable practices work together as a powerful force to achieve great things,” said Terry Webber, vice president industry affairs at AF&PA, during a briefing Jan. 25.

“In total, nearly 33 million tons of recycled paper was used in manufacturing at U.S. paper mills last year—the highest level in over a decade,” he added. “We did it in the extraordinarily challenging environment of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to a resilient industry and highly engaged consumers. Consumer engagement would not be as high as it is without widely accessible community recycling programs.”

The reports led to the release of the group’s latest study: The 2021 AF&PA Access to Recycling Study. Since 1994, the organization has performed a series of national surveys to measure the extent and track the growth of access to community paper and paperboard recycling. The latest study conducted by consulting firm Resource Recycling Systems, or RRS, Ann Arbor, Michigan, was performed as an update to the previous study done in 2014.

The study measured curbside and drop-off community recycling programs provided through municipal or county governments, organized via contract or franchised through a private hauler or available to residents via subscription services or privately operated drop-offs. The definition of a recycling program varied slightly from the previous study, which did not include subscription recycling programs or privately operated drop-offs.

“Our goal with this study is to help inform our stakeholders about how to maintain and advance our market-leading recycling rates,” Webber said.

Items such as corrugated cardboard, mail, newspapers, office paper, magazines, paperboard boxes with and without poly coatings, paper bags, liquid packaging cartons and pizza boxes all were reported to have a consumer access rate of 60 percent or more.

Since the 2014 study, 79 percent of Americans now have access to residential curbside services—an increase of more than 14 million people. But overall, the study found a 2 percent decrease in the percentage of the U.S. population with access to recycling—particularly paper and paperboard collection—either curbside, drop-off or both, and the biggest change recorded was in access to drop-off recycling. In 2014, 81 percent of the U.S. population had access to drop-off recycling whereas in 2021 the estimate decreased to 55 percent.

The decline seems alarming, but the research team found the majority of the decline in drop-off access occurred in communities that also have access to curbside services, and the suspension of drop-off recycling could be because of cutting costs or temporary suspensions of services arising from COVID-19.

“We think about all of the COVID-driven economic disruptions and widespread changes in consumer behavior that we experienced in the country over the past couple of years, [and] I think that's a remarkable achievement,” said Brian Hawkinson, executive director of recovered fiber for AF&PA.

He added, “I think it's encouraging we've seen in the data that communities continue to offer residential curbside collection to their consumers. That tells us that they're prioritizing that among the tough decisions that they've had to make during the pandemic about which community services to provide, they’re prioritizing recycling. And that's exciting.”

Hawkinson also addressed issues on the consumer side of paper recycling and stressed education as a tool to help improve paper recycling rates. “That is an ongoing issue,” he said. “We recognize that there's a lot of needs that we can be engaged in…educating consumers, not only about the importance of recycling, how important it is for the industry and the environment, but what they can do individually. … We think that the systems are in place. We hope the messaging is going to get to consumers [and we] are going to do everything we can to help make that happen as well.”

Currently, no exact figures are available on the amount of fiber that flows through the residential collection stream versus commercial or industrial streams, but Hawkinson estimated that approximately 40 to 45 percent of the total amount recovered fiber that gets to mills comes through the residential collection stream. “That’s why it is so important that we engage communities, help educate consumers because a lot of raw material that the mills need comes to that collection stream,” he said.

Since 2019, the paper industry has planned or announced approximately $5 billion in manufacturing and infrastructure investments by next year, according to the AF&PA, which it said will increase the amount of recovered paper used by U.S. paper and paperboard mills by approximately 8 million tons—a 25 percent increase over 2020 levels. This includes new mills and new paper machines, and existing mills and converting existing machines. “It doesn’t cover other innovative things that our members are doing on research and development, product development—things like innovative barrier coatings to improve the recyclability of products and … processes they’re piloting to help access additional fiber and turn it into new products,” Webber said.

The AF&PA also has established five sustainability goals through its “Better Practices, Better Planet 2030” initiative: reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, advance a circular value chain, strive for zero workplace injuries, drive water stewardship and advance more resilient U.S. forests. The organization says its members already have reduced GHG emissions by more than 23 percent from its 2005 baseline, which surpassed its previous “Better Practices, Better Planet 2020” goal.

“‘Better Practices, Better Planet’ is a commitment to clear and measurable progress towards goals that address the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social factors,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. “And as we celebrate our accomplishments, we are also working to advance the sustainability of our industry even further—to deliver more sustainable products for a more sustainable future.

She added, “This builds on previous achievements to advance the paper and wood products industries' leadership in sustainability."