Recovered paper exports dropped 11% year-over-year in 2024, and scrap plastic exports fell by about 2%, according to new trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Meanwhile, recycled plastic imports reached record levels, and Canada was an important supplier of recovered fiber into the U.S.
The Census Bureau on Feb. 5 released its monthly trade data for December, allowing for a full-year analysis and comparison with prior-year figures.
India remains largest market for US recovered fiber
The U.S. exported 13.3 million short tons of recovered fiber throughout the year, down from 14.8 million short tons in 2023.
India brought in 2.3 million short tons, or 17% of all U.S. exported fiber. Mexico was the next largest importer, taking in 2.0 million short tons, followed by Thailand (2.0 million short tons), Malaysia (1.9 million short tons), Vietnam (1.4 million short tons), Canada (991,000 short tons) South Korea (548,000 short tons), Taiwan (410,000 short tons) and China (403,000 short tons).
By grade, OCC made up the largest percentage of exports at 68%. Mixed paper made up 15%, high-grade deinked paper made up 10%, newsprint made up 3%, and bleached pulp paperboard scrap and mechanical pulp paper scrap made up the remaining 4%.
Plastic exports move to neighbors in North America, as well as Southeast Asia
The U.S. exported 903 million pounds of recovered plastics in 2024, down slightly from 921 million pounds the prior year.
Canada and Mexico were the largest plastics export trading partners in 2024, importing 308 million pounds and 190 million pounds, respectively. Other key export markets included India (83 million pounds), Malaysia (78 million pounds), Vietnam (53 million pounds), Indonesia (41 million pounds) and Spain (25 million pounds).
By resin, PE made up 32% of exports, PET made up 20%, PS made up 6%, PVC made up 4%, the category covering “other plastics” made up the remaining 38%.
Plastics imports reach new record
The U.S. recycling industry has long been reliant on export markets to move bales, but trade data shows recovered material processors and end users are increasingly buying feedstock from outside the country.
On the plastics side, U.S. imports of scrap plastic totaled 1.085 billion pounds in 2024, surpassing the previous record of 1.030 billion pounds in 2021. This volume has grown steadily in recent years, and because of the ongoing decline in scrap plastic exports largely due to changing import regulations in markets abroad, the U.S. is currently a net importer of scrap plastic.
The federal trade figures don’t indicate the condition of the imported plastic, but traders have told Plastics Recycling Update imported material is often in flake form rather than raw bales.
Imported material comes primarily from Canada and Mexico, together sending 51% of all imported plastic last year. And PET makes up the bulk of imports, at 51%, followed by “other” plastics and PE as the next largest resin categories.
Paper imports remain a fraction of the export volume, totaling just 1.1 million short tons throughout 2024. This volume is almost entirely sourced from Canada, which sent 94% of the imported fiber.
