Waste Management Services NAICS 562

Oct 22, 2025 - Regulatory Shift in China Rattles OCC Export Market

• China’s new regulation requiring recycled pulp importers to disclose dry or wet milling methods is shaking the market for old corrugated containers (OCC), according to Waste Dive. The policy targets dry-milled pulp, viewed as more contaminated, prompting price drops and production halts across Southeast Asia. US recyclers are bracing for inspection protocols and enforcement details, while wet-pulp mills report rising demand. The move echoes past Chinese import crackdowns, like National Sword, which disrupted global fiber flows and led to a surge in recycled pulp exports. With over 60% of China’s pulp imports previously dry-milled, the shift could raise raw material costs and deepen OCC market volatility. Analysts expect long-term impacts to hinge on enforcement, but many believe a full ban on dry pulping is likely. The recycling industry faces renewed uncertainty, with OCC’s price swings and structural imbalances intensifying.
• In October, prices for curbside recyclable materials continued to trend downward across most categories, according to RecyclingMarkets.net. The US average price for post-consumer PET bottles and jars fell 3.4% month-over-month in October and plunged 74.4% year-over-year. Natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) rose slightly by 1.1% from September but declined 10.1% compared to October 2024. Color HDPE increased 22.2% month-over-month but was down 62% year-over-year. Polypropylene (PP) remained flat month-over-month in October and dropped 43% year-over-year. Prices for old corrugated containers (OCC), used in manufacturing new boxes, fell 22.8% from September and were down 39.0% year-over-year. October's aluminum can prices remained unchanged month-over-month and dipped 0.4% compared to the same time last year. Sorted residential paper prices declined 23.1% from September and were 43.7% lower than a year ago.

• Speakers at a recent conference of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) emphasized that well-designed, audience-specific recycling systems are key to boosting participation and reducing contamination, according to Waste Dive. Tailoring programs to local realities—such as income levels, housing types, and waste stream composition—can improve outcomes, especially in multifamily buildings where bin placement and sizing often hinder recycling. Convenience centers with intuitive layouts and engineered bin designs help residents sort materials correctly. Landfill operators are urged to adopt creative diversion strategies to recover valuable recyclables and extend landfill lifespans.
• The recycling rates for paper and cardboard declined slightly in 2024 compared to the year before, according to the latest data from the American Forest & Paper Association (AFPA) and reporting by Resource Recycling. In 2024, the US recycling rate for paper was between 60% and 64% compared to about 65% to 69% in 2023. Over the same period, the recycling rate for cardboard slipped to between 69% and 74% from 71% to 76% in 2023. Despite the drop in recycling rates, US paper and paperboard mills increased their use of recycled fiber in 2024 by nearly 1.3 million tons to 32.7 million tons. A spokesperson for the AFPA said a change in methodology last year makes recycling rates more sensitive to trade flows. The rate is now a measure of recycling’s share of material available for recovery instead of how much recycled fiber mills consume. Recycling rates can vary more year-to-year as they mirror imports and exports of packaged goods.