China remains the largest buyer of U.S. fiber, importing 1.86 million short tons during the third quarter. | F Armstrong Photography/Shutterstock
Paper and plastic exports continue to trend lower than in previous years, even as shipments increase to certain countries, recent figures show.
Recycling stakeholders recently gathered virtually for the 2020 MRF Summit.| 9dream studio/Shutterstock
At the recent MRF Summit, held online, recycling leaders tackled a number of trends that are shaping the fortunes of material processors.
Next year, China is widely expected to close the door completely to recovered fiber imports, a move that has the industry in a cautious state. | BigPixel Photo/Shutterstock
Is the global recycled paper sector prepared for China’s complete exit from the market next year? Experts weighed in during a recent Bureau of International Recycling session.
A collapsing market for printing and writing papers has led to a few mill conversions. | Siwakorn1933/Shutterstock
Nine Dragons is shifting toward recycled packaging at a U.S. mill, citing an “unprecedented” decline in demand for printing and writing paper. The company is just one of several paper producers responding to changing markets with mill conversions.
Recyclable paper bags make up a significant portion of the 68% of paper that is recycled in the United States. | Fuss Sergey/Shutterstock
Vietnamese imports of U.S. mixed paper dropped to 74,000 short tons in 2018, then to 45,000 in 2019. | Domicile Media/Shutterstock
Vietnam, a relatively small market for U.S. mixed paper, will no longer allow imports of the material beginning in 2022. The restriction does not appear to affect OCC, which the U.S. ships to Vietnam in far greater quantities.
Atlantic Packaging’s new 100% recycled paper machine is scheduled to start up in the first quarter of 2022. | MUSTAFA HAMDIEV/Shutterstock
A Canadian packaging firm will expand with a paper machine producing 400,000 tons per year of containerboard and other corrugated products.
According to one analyst, domestic demand for OCC was up about 6% during the first five months of 2020. | digitalreflections/Shutterstock
Supply and demand realities for key curbside materials are evolving fast, impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, domestic processing capacity increases and other key trends, according to two experts. Continue Reading
Disposable coffee cups like these have a plastic coating that has historically left them out of the recovery and recycling process. | NatalyaBond/Shutterstock
Georgia-Pacific this week said two of its mills are bringing in mixed-paper bales that include single-use cups with a polyethylene barrier layer.
