Industry Snapshot

The U.S. paper industry manufactures more than 90 million tons of paper and paperboard annually using wood fiber and recovered paper.  The diversity of products includes tissue and toweling, printing and writing, packaging, and specialty grades.  More than 50% of the paper utilized in the U.S. is recovered for recycling.

U.S. paper mills have excellent
emission control systems.

Industry Facts

There are 430 pulp and paper mills in the United States.

Note: (This number does not include the many converting facilities that transform paper into writing tablets, envelopes, bags, boxes, and numerous other products.)

There are 41 states that have paper mills. But, there are no paper mills in the following states: AK, CO, ND, NE,NV, RI, SD, UT and WY

According to our annual industry survey:

• There are 15 million dry tons of potentially reusable byproduct material generated annually.
• 41 percent of this material is reused/recycled annually.

Did you know?

The effectiveness of lime mud (a causticizing residue) as an agricultural liming agent was demonstrated by field trials in 1920, and research into beneficial uses for WWTP residuals began in the late 1940s.