The export of recovered fiber over the first four months of the year increased sharply compared to figures the same time last year.
According to the most recent figures from the U.S. Commerce Department, total exports of recovered fiber for April stand at 843,520 tons, bringing the year to date export total to 10.674 million tons, a 14.9 percent improvement from figures the same time last year.
Although shipments to Canada continue to be the largest end market for U.S. recovered fiber, shipments to this region dropped this year. Exports to Canada for April stand at 179,743 tons, pushing the annual rate, year to date, to 2.335 million tons, a 15.5 percent decline from figures the same time last year.
Even more pessimistic has been the sharp drop in the shipment of deinked pulp from the United States. According to figures by the American Forest and Paper Association, total shipments of deinking pulp dropped by more than 40 percent on an annual rate, year to date.