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Tag Archives: fiber

COVID-19 demand shift opens door for recycled fiber

Published: November 17, 2020
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Stacks of baled paper for recycling.

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.

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Another Asian country bans imports of mixed paper

Published: November 3, 2020
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Ship docked at the Phy My port in Vietnam.

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.

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Scrap paper and plastic markets hit by confluence of forces

Published: September 22, 2020
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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

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Two paper mills begin accepting plastic-lined cups

Published: September 15, 2020
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Colorful paper coffee cups on a gray background.

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.

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Institute announces research grants and issues RFP

Published: September 1, 2020
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Mixed plastics baled for recycling.

Federal funding has been announced for research looking into sorting scrap plastic and using enzymes to clean material, among other recycling-related efforts. | paul prescott/Shutterstock

The REMADE Institute announced it will provide $6 million to fund several recycling research projects. The same day, it declared it’ll provide up to $35 million for its next round of grants.

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Recycled fiber end users put new focus on residential stream

Published: September 1, 2020
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Recycling bin full of cardboard boxes.

Greater fiber tonnages are coming in through the residential stream, which typically includes higher numbers of small boxes. | Cari Rubin Photography/Shutterstock

OCC generation has shifted away from the commercial realm amid COVID-19, and tonnages might never go back. A paper association leader described that trend and what it means for the industry’s future.

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Shipping shakeup continues as China’s extended ban nears

Published: August 25, 2020
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Cargo ship on the water.

Despite the upcoming ban, the Chinese government continues to approve permits for more recovered paper to enter the country. | hxdbzxy/Shutterstock

Another major container ship operator says it’s ending scrap shipments to China as that country prepares to widen its prohibition on imports of recovered material. Meanwhile, insurance providers recently analyzed the Chinese policy and its ramifications for shipping lines.

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