ATLANTA (News release) -- Holiday gifting season ushers in a flurry of wrapping paper, present packages, and shipping boxes plus good news that Americans are recycling these materials more than ever, according to industry trends bolstered by global leader in sustainable fiber-based packaging DS Smith's circular infrastructure.
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) announced 65-69% of paper available for recovery in the United States was recycled last year. According to AF&PA, 2023 calculations show paper remains one of the most highly recycled materials in America, with the industry recycling nearly 60% more today than it did in 1990 when recycling rate goals were first established.
DS Smith has been paving the way for growth in recycling programs in North America, with its flagship Reading, Pa. facility capable of recycling more than 36,000 tons of used corrugated cardboard each year. The company works with a variety of organizations such as distribution centers, packaging facilities, retailers, and print shops to recover paper for recycling. The company's process allows for corrugated packaging to be produced, used, collected, and recycled back into corrugated boxes within a cycle of 14 days. This process reduces the amount of fiber used in its boxes by 30%.
"DS Smith's commitment to sustainability and a circular business model is helping take many of the paper and paper packaging products used during the holidays and throughout the year and to unlock value and recover these elements for continued use," said Keith Tornes, DS Smith's Managing Director, Paper & Recycling, North America. We trust the findings from AF&PA point to continued consumer and industry shifts and validate our continued investment and efforts to recover and recycle more paper and paper packaging products."
Consumers are encouraged during the most wonderful time of the year to make a list and check it twice with a few tips for a sustainable Christmas holiday with more recycling and less waste. Using wrapping paper to gift holiday surprises? Make sure your wrapping paper is recyclable, if it can be scrunched up into a ball, and stays scrunched up, then it is fine to put it into your recycling bins. And nothing shows the planet more love than the message of Merry Christmas with a sustainable card -now that's how you spread holiday cheer. Things that won't make the nice list of recyclables: tape, sticky labels, decorated boxes with components like glitter, Christmas ribbon, Christmas crackers, and even your Christmas tree. Check with your local organizations offering recycling services post-Christmas for pick up or drop off options to make use of a great way to clear out after the holiday festivities and remain sustainable.
Per AF&PA the most recently published recycling rates are calculated as the amount of paper recycled as a share of the amount of paper available for recovery. Through the updated methodology, AF&PA has improved estimates of net imported product packaging using more detailed trade data and better estimates of packaging dimensions based on industry data and expertise. Additionally, the organization has deducted an estimate of materials in recovered paper bales that are not used in manufacturing (e.g., paper not suitable for use in the specific grade; non-paper materials; net moisture).
