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Paper Scrap Price Trend Analysis 2026: Supply Demand Analysis, Price Drivers, Latest News, Market Insights & Historical Prices
Paper Scrap Price Trend 2025
In 2025, paper scrap prices experienced a mixed and generally downward trend. Early in the year, both domestic and export markets saw lower prices compared with the highs of 2024.
The supply of recycled fibre remained limited due to weak collection rates and lower volumes of office and newsprint paper, especially as office vacancy rates stayed high. Residential recycling capture also stayed below expected levels, which further constrained available material.
On the demand side, U.S. mills slowed their intake, influenced by multiple mill closures and cautious buyers. Some large producers shut down containerboard and coated paper plants, reducing overall production capacity. Meanwhile, European consumption of recovered paper increased slightly, helping offset some of the supply pressures, but not enough to boost prices significantly. Export markets, especially in Asia, were uncertain due to new import regulations that disrupted old corrugated cardboard trade, adding volatility and limiting demand.
Overall, the combination of constrained supply, slower domestic demand, and unstable export markets kept paper scrap prices at low levels for much of 2025. Even though some stability appeared mid-year, prices remained subdued compared with previous peaks, reflecting ongoing challenges in both collection and consumption.
Analyst Insight
According to Procurement Resource, Paper Scrap prices are expected to stay relatively low in the near term, but gradual improvements in collection rates and recycling infrastructure could support a modest recovery.
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In the second half of 2024, paper scrap prices generally declined. Old corrugated containers (OCC) saw the biggest drop, while mixed paper and higher-grade materials were more stable. In the UK, tight supply of medium and higher grades helped keep their prices steady, but lower grades faced weaker demand and falling quotes.
Seasonal challenges also affected the market. During the wet winter months, contamination in recycling increased significantly as cardboard became damp and mixed with plastics, reducing the quality of recovered paper. This led to more waste being sent to landfill or incineration, further limiting available material for mills.
The changes in how recycling rates were calculated in the U.S. also reflected broader challenges for the recovered paper market. New methodologies showed that actual collection and recycling volumes were lower than previously thought, suggesting that less high-quality scrap was available. These factors, combined with soft export demand and limited domestic collection, contributed to weaker prices for the latter half of the year.
About Paper Scrap
Paper scraps are discarded and unused paper pieces that could be derived from a wide variety of paper-based items such as newspapers, magazines, office paper, cardboard, packaging materials, and other printed materials. Paper scrap can be generated from households, businesses, industries, and institutions when paper products reach the end of their useful life or become obsolete. Recycling and repurposing paper scrap is a common practice to reduce waste, conserve resources, and produce new paper products, contributing to environmentally sustainable practices.
Paper Scrap Product Detail
Hs Code
47073090
Industrial Uses
Paper and cardboard production, Art and craft, Insulation material, Molded pulp products, Pulp and paper mills, Cellulose based products
Supplier Database
Cascades Recovery, Global Waste Recyclers Ltd, International Paper, Perlen Papier AG, Sonoco Products Company, ST Paper Resources PTE LTD
Regional Coverage
Asia Pacific
China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Iran, Thailand, South Korea, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Nepal, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, UAE, Israel, Hongkong, Singapore, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Australia, and New Zealand
Europe
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy,Spain, Russia, Turkey, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Ireland Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Romania, Finland, Czech Republic, Portugal and Greece
North America
United States and Canada
Latin America
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru
Africa
South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco
CurrencyUS$ (Data can also be provided in local currency)
Supplier Database AvailabilityYes
Customization ScopeThe report can be customized as per the requirements of the customer
Post-Sale Analyst Support360-degree analyst support after report delivery
Note: Our supplier search experts can assist your procurement teams in compiling and validating a list of suppliers indicating they have products, services, and capabilities that meet your company's needs.
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