AF&PA Announces 2025 Paper, Cardboard Recycling Rates

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has announced its annual paper recycling rates, with 61-65 percent of paper and 70-75 percent of cardboard available for recovery being recycled in the United States in 2025. Paper and cardboard recycling rates held steady in 2025, underscoring the strength of America's paper recycling system and highlighting that it is operating as designed. In 2025, around 45 million tons of paper were recycled in the U.S.—123,000 tons every day—including more than 33 million tons of cardboard. Nearly half of all recycled paper in 2025 went into containerboard, the material used to make cardboard boxes. Overall, a decline in U.S. paper and paperboard production led to a decrease in generation of recovered paper available for recycling in 2025. In addition, U.S. mills used 31.4 million tons of recycled paper to manufacture new products in 2025, a decrease of 1.3 million tons from 2024. Despite market dynamics, paper recovery remained strong relative to the available supply, explaining why the U.S. paper recycling rate held steady. The paper industry continues to demonstrate resilience by adapting to changing market conditions while operating at significant scale and serving strong demand for paper-based products. '2025's recycling rate demonstrates the staying power of America's paper recycling system and the industry behind it,' said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. 'Every day, people across our industry recover and reuse paper at scale to make the paper and packaging products families and businesses rely on.' Despite market dynamics that led to decreased fiber production last year, paper recovery remained strong relative to the available supply, according to AF&PA. Today, more than two thirds of all paper recycled in the U.S. is turned into new products Americans rely on at mills nationwide. Recycled paper also made boxes for food and medicine, tissue products like toilet paper and paper towels, and printing papers. ​ Beyond the U.S., recycled paper was exported to paper mills around the world and used to make new products.