A panel at last week’s Plastics Recycling Conference dug into the question: “The Switch to Paper Packaging: Fad or New Norm?” | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling Inc.
Paper is on the march against plastic, taking its place in several forms of protective packaging, food wrappers, beverage containers and bread bag clips as manufacturers pivot to a more commonly recycled, and seemingly more sustainable, material. Continue Reading
China’s withdrawal from the fiber export market and a rise in e-commerce created an opportunity for domestic mills to consume more recycled fiber. | BAO Images Bildagentur/Shutterstock
All but two of 25 confirmed recycled paper mill projects announced over the past five years are completed, and new capacity activity has slowed considerably, according to a recent review led by the Northeast Recycling Council. Continue Reading
After a slump in demand, the containerboard market is heating up again, bringing with it a need for recycled fiber feedstock. | DenisNata/Shutterstock
Major mill operators forecast a year of recovering demand in the containerboard market, translating to a greater need for the OCC and other fiber grades needed to supply those paper machines. Continue Reading
Cascades is permanently closing a recycled paper mill and two corrugated converting plants due to market conditions and other factors. | Pitipat Wongprasi/Shutterstock
North American fiber packaging giant Cascades announced that a recycled paper mill and two corrugated converting plants have closed permanently, citing a handful of factors including market conditions. Continue Reading
The U.S. exported 14.3 million short tons of recovered fiber in 2023, down 17% from 2022. | Nickpeps/Shutterstock
U.S. recovered paper exports in 2023 reached a 19-year low, driven by major multi-year declines in shipments into key overseas markets. Recovered plastic exports dropped slightly year over year, bringing a record low for another consecutive year. Continue Reading
Experts noted that lower OCC generation and higher demand is driving up recycled fiber prices. | Trainman111/Shutterstock
Containerboard, cartonboard and tissue markets appear primed for growth in the years ahead, experts say. That spells good news for recycled paper prices, which have been on a slow climb over the last half year. Continue Reading
Three separate but connected companies – Sustana Fiber, Rolland Paper and Hanna Paper – rebranded as Sustana in mid-January. | Courtesy of Sustana
Sustana, a 100% recycled fiber mill operator and end user of recovered office paper and cartons, has consolidated its three business segments into the same entity. The move comes shortly after an acquisition that brought the Wisconsin-headquartered company into the fiber collection sector. Continue Reading
Pointing to rising energy costs, Vermont-based Putney Paper shut down Jan. 16. | Max Barnum/Shutterstock
Putney Paper, a Northeast U.S. mill that took in post-consumer recovered fiber and converted it into recycled tissue, napkins and towels, closed its doors last week, with company leadership citing rising energy costs contributing to the closure. Continue Reading
The study suggests over half of the 110 million metric tons of overall fiber that entered the waste stream went to landfill in 2019. | Janossy Gergely/Shutterstock
New research quantifies in greater detail the amount of fiber entering U.S. landfills each year. A lead author of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study said the findings highlight a huge opportunity for additional material recovery. Continue Reading
The Elgin, Ill. recycled box facility carries an investment of more than $30 million. | Mark Agnor/Shutterstock
A corrugated box plant sourcing recycled paper from Canadian mill operator Atlantic Packaging Products has opened its doors near Chicago. Continue Reading