The 62nd paper industry capacity and fiber consumption survey report recently released by the American forest and Paper Association shows that the total output of paper and paperboard in the United States fell by 0.4% in 2021, and the decline in total output slowed down compared with the average annual decline of 1.0% since 2012.

In terms of sub sectors, the output of carton board in the United States has expanded for 11 consecutive years, with a record output of 42.3 million tons in 2021. 2021 has also become the fastest growing year in the past 25 years for the production of carton board in the United States. With the decrease of other paper products, in 2021, the share of carton paper in the total output of paper and paperboard in the United States exceeded 50% for the first time.

Heidi bullock, President and CEO of the American forest and Paper Association, said that cardboard and other materials can help meet the needs of consumers seeking sustainable choices. These materials have one of the highest recycling rates in the United States. The weight of paper recycled from municipal waste is more than that of plastic, glass, steel and aluminum combined. “Consumer demand for sustainable paper products is growing, and the industry is investing to meet changing consumer needs.”

The rapid growth of carton board in the United States has brought great demand to the waste paper market in the United States. According to the data of the American forest and Paper Association, the demand for waste corrugated boxes in the United States also reached a record level in 2021. American paper mills consumed a total of about 24.3 million tons of waste corrugated boxes, an increase of 6.8% year-on-year in 2020.

Meanwhile, in 2021, the consumption of recycled paper by U.S. paper mills and paperboard mills increased by 3.9%, the highest level since 2008. In 2021, the consumption share of recycled paper reached a new high in the total fiber consumption share, achieving nine consecutive increases, and the share increased from 36% in 2012 to 41.6% in 2021.

Bullock believes that paper recycling is stronger than ever and has become a successful case of sustainable development. The high paper recycling rate in the United States in 2021 further proves that the appeal of the paper industry for investment and public participation in recycling programs is effective. “From 2019 to 2024, the paper industry announced about $5billion in manufacturing infrastructure investment to continue to make full use of recycled fiber in our products. These investments will help the amount of recycled paper used by U.S. paper mills and paperboard mills increase by about 8million tons, an increase of 25% over 2020.”

In addition, after a decrease of 2.5% in 2020, the output of paperboard increased by 0.6% in 2021. Among them, the output of household paper remained unchanged. In response to changing demand, the paper and paperboard industry in the United States has 9 paper machines converted to packaging paper in 2021. The survey report of the American forest and Paper Association also predicts that the total output of paper and paperboard in the United States will remain stable in 2022, the output of paperboard and newsprint is expected to increase, the output of carton paper and tissue will remain stable, and the output of printing and writing paper will decline.