A MODEL CAPTURES HOW CHANGES IN THE SUPPLY OF DIFFERENT FIBERS CAN AFFECT THE PROSPECTS FOR RECYCLING MORE PAPER IN THE UNITED STATES.
In paper recycling, certain types of fibers have far higher recycling rates than others. While the overall U.S. rate for paper and paperboard is 68%, certain types far exceed this rate. More than 91% of cardboard boxes, for example, were recycled in 2021. But other types of recyclable material can fall through the cracks.
Improvements in the range of available waste pulp and paper will raise the general domestic paper recycling rate even higher. Which advances in technology and systems will enable a more energy-efficient and more circular economy to emerge for fibers in the next decade? Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), working with the American Forest & Paper Association (AFPA) and WestRock, a packaging solutions company, have built a systems analysis tool to provide answers to this question.
Read more about this project, its objectives, impacts, and the next steps taken by reading the full summary here.
Project Participants:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- American Forest & Paper Association