U.S. recovered fiber exports fell by roughly 3 million tons from 2018 to 2019. | StockStudio Aerials/Shutterstock
In 2019, recovered fiber exports from the United States experienced their largest year-over-year decline on record. U.S. scrap plastic exports also continued a substantial fall.
This story originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of Resource Recycling.
Subscribe today for access to all print content.
Despite a year of market uncertainty, U.S. recovered paper exports increased in 2018, driven largely by OCC shipments. However, scrap plastic exports fell substantially as countries enacted stringent trade policies.
The growing smiles you see among recycling collectors and processors are because of continuing market improvement.
OCC and other recovered fiber grades are allowed in to China but with strict contamination thresholds. | noomcpk/Shutterstock
China bought less of the world’s recycled fiber in 2019, the second year in a row of major decreases in recycled material imports. And the country’s environmental ministry has reiterated plans for an all-out import ban next year.
China no longer wants to receive garbage from other countries. As a result, enhanced import inspections by Chinese customs officials have led to severe recycling market confusion worldwide, especially for shippers of recovered paper and plastics.
A months-long string of rising prices for recovered materials has continued into February.
A campaign aimed at curbing criminal activity could cause headaches for those legally sending recyclable materials across the Pacific Ocean.
A rebound in commodity values meant substantial recycling-related revenue boosts for North America’s two largest residential haulers.