AF&PA: The OCC Recycling Rate Is Not Up For Debate BY HEIDI BROCK
Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY
ARC INTERNATIONAL www.ARCInternational.com
Paper recycling is an environmental success story. Facts and data matter, especially when it comes to measuring and tracking the paper recycling rate over time.
ARC International is a world leader in the manufacturing of roller products for flexography. The latest nano-technology laser engraving in our NC and NV manufacturing facilities ensures superior quality and consistency in anilox rollers.
The American Forest & Paper As- sociation (AF&PA) is a data-driven or- ganization, and we rely on complete data to calculate the annual paper and cardboard recycling rates. These are rates we have tracked
AES (ADVANCED EQUIPMENT SALES) www.aesales.net
AES is a leading full-service provider of integrated convey- ance systems specializing in scrap, trim, and dust. AES en- gineers custom scrap systems and works as a partner in process improvement to help businesses achieve greater profitability, productivity, and sustainability. Products include balers, shredders/hoggers, core shredders, filters, fans, and specialized dust control and collection systems. AES is the ex- clusive distributor for the AirShark Rotary Material Separator.
Heidi Brock
for three decades, and they help inform our industry – which plays an active role in paper recycling’s success. Therefore, it is imperative we supply the most accurate data on paper recycling – data that was recently called into question during a session at the 2022 Resource Re- cycling Conference, suggesting the OCC recycling rate is lower than reported. However, the OCC statistics presented at the confer- ence do not serve as a point of comparison to AF&PA’s national OCC recycling rate. Missing from their calculation is an accounting for box- es used to export products from the United States. Their estimated rate also makes assumptions about imports of packaged products and the change in OCC collections in 2021. To clear up confusion, let’s talk about the equation. AF&PA’s OCC recycling rate is based on a mathematical formula, calculated by dividing the U.S. recovery of OCC for recycling by the U.S. supply of containerboard over a given period, usually one year. The statistics and methodology used to calculate the United States’ cardboard recycling rate are also consistent with those used by major U.S. trading partners, and the resulting rate is similar to the recycling rate published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The AF&PA has published the annual U.S. OCC recy- cling rate since the introduction of the Corrugated Recy- cles symbol in 1993. The rate follows a steady trend up- ward from 54 percent in 1993 to the current rate of 91.4 percent. And the cardboard recycling rate has met or ex- ceeded 82 percent since 2009. What the Bloomberg Intelligence/Circular Ventures estimate attempts to do is fill in a gap in the data: how much OCC is available for recycling from the packaging on imported products. This gap in the data can fluctuate depending on the trade balance in any given year – mak- ing it a moving target. Corrugated packaging is distributed and collected across several channels, including industri- al, commercial retail, commercial office and residential. This is where the Bloomberg Intelligence/Circular Ven- tures estimate is incomplete. They relied on data on the
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hhs is a global leader in advanced gluing, camera verifica- tion and quality assurance systems for the packaging indus- try. Zero-defect quality and elevated production speeds are key parameters in the manufacturing of corrugated boxes. With hhs Xcam Box Monitoring and non-contact flap gluing of corrugated board, hhs offers every option for quality as- surance in the production of boxes with flexo folder gluers. BLOWER APPLICATION COMPANY (BLOAPCO) www.BloApCo.com BloApCo has served the corrugated industry since 1933 with a variety of scrap handling solutions, including Hori- zontal Floor Shredders, Trim Cutters, and Material Handling Fans and Conveying Systems. BloApCo Shredders allow for continuous shredding and pneumatic removal of sheet waste stacks of all sizes, roll slab, cores, and carton scrap.
CORRUGATED MACHINERY SPECIALISTS www.cmsretrofits.com
Leading manufacturer and installer of quality retrofits, up- grades and replacement parts for S&S and Prime Flexo Folder Gluers. Specialists in reconditioning of S&S Flexo Folder Gluers, including ink, air and electrical systems.
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Serving the corrugated box industry since 1991, Chicago- based Corrugator Belt Service LLC maintains corru- gator belts for peak board quality and performance.
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36 October 17, 2022
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