Paper Recycling by the Numbers
Americans recycle a lot of paper! Paper recovered for recycling in the U.S. in 2022 would fill more than 4,000 Washington Monuments.
According to the U.S. EPA, more paper by weight is recovered from municipal solid waste streams for recycling than plastic, glass, steel and aluminum combined.
94% of Americans have access to community paper recycling programs. Paper recycling is a success story and paper products are part of the recycling solution.
67.9% of paper
was recycled in
the U.S. in 2022
93.6% of cardboard
was recycled in
the U.S. in 2022
About 80% of
U.S. mills use
recycled fiber
Paper Recycling Trends
Paper recycling rates have continuously grown over recent decades and remain consistently high. Let's break down the rates.
2022 Paper Recycling Rate
In 2022, the paper recycling rate was nearly 68%, which held approximately steady to the 2021 rate. Nearly 50 million tons of paper was recovered for recycling in 2022. That amount could fill rail cars stretching from New York to Los Angeles nearly 3 times!
2022 Cardboard Recycling Rate
Cardboard is the most recycled packaging material in the U.S. About 34 million tons of cardboard – what the industry calls corrugated – was recovered for recycling. About half of the material used nationwide to make new boxes comes from paper recovered for recycling.
Where Recycled Paper Goes
At paper mills across the country, recycled paper is used to make the essential products millions of people rely on every day!
In 2022, nearly half of recycled paper went into making containerboard — the material used to make cardboard boxes.
Recycled paper makes boxes for food and medicine, tissue products like toilet paper and paper towels, and newspapers as well.
Recycled paper is also exported. It's used in paper mills around the world to manufacture new products.
Dive Deeper Into Paper Recycling
Unpacking the 2022 Paper Recycling Rates
Paper is one of the most recycled materials. Dive into why paper recycling is a continuous success.
What is the Paper Industry Doing to Improve Recycling?
Learn why paper recycling is a model that works and how the industry is investing to advance the circular economy.
How Paper Recycling Works
At paper mills across the country, recycled paper is used to make the essential products millions of people rely on.
Download paper recycling resources
