US recovered paper exports decline again

The U.S. recovered paper export market has been on a downturn since last year, and the latest data reveal that decline has continued through the first four months of 2024, with some of the top 10 importers decreasing their purchases by up to 50 percent.

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade Commission and the Washington-based Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), U.S. exports of recovered paper were down 15 percent from January to April, coming in at just over 4 million metric tons, while the value of those exports was down nearly 12 percent to about $808 million compared with the same period in 2023.

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The top 10 countries importing recovered paper from the U.S. include: India, Thailand, Mexico, Malaysia, Vietnam, Canada, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Indonesia. Those countries accounted for 3.8 million metric tons of the 4.01 million metric tons exported from the U.S. from January to April.

India was the largest importer of U.S. recovered paper during the January-April period, importing 689,781 metric tons. That figure is down 27.1 percent from the same period in 2023 when India imported 946,143 metric tons.

Of the top 10 countries, Malaysia and Canada are the only two to increase their imports of U.S. recovered paper—both with substantial increases, too.

Malaysia increased its imports 81 percent, taking in 595,669 metric tons compared with the 329,860 metric tons purchased during the same period last year, while Canada increased its imports 45.4 percent, taking in 335,303 metric tons compared with 230,586 metric tons.

The remaining top buyers include:

• Thailand: 685,867 (-21 percent)
• Mexico: 607,537 (-9 percent)
• Vietnam: 372,882 (-26 percent)
• South Korea: 175,095 (-27.1 percent)
• China: 159,931 (-38.1 percent)
• Taiwan: 135,781 (-51 percent)
• Indonesia: 87,226 (-37 percent)

The rest of the world imported 38.2 percent fewer tons of U.S. recovered paper from January to April compared with last year, taking in 161,300 metric tons versus 260,852 metric tons.

It remains to be seen how the second half of the year will play out in the export market, but the current trend does not inspire much confidence as U.S. recovered paper exports have been down every year since 2021. That year, the U.S. exported 16.7 million metric tons of recovered paper compared with 13.1 million metric tons in 2023.