The global paper packaging industry, heavily reliant on recovered paper (RCP), is undergoing a transformation as China’s policies continue to influence global trade flows. According to the newly released “Recovered Paper and Pulp World Map” by Rabobank’s RaboResearch, China’s RCP policies have redirected exports once bound for Chinese markets to Southeast Asia and India. China accounted for around half of global RCP exports before 2013. However, a series of national import restrictions — culminating in a full import ban in 2021 — led to a decline in global RCP trade, which has fallen by nearly 5% annually from 2016 to 2023. For major RCP exporters like the US and EU, China’s import restrictions have resulted in new trade strategies, looking toward Mexico and Turkey.
