November scrap paper exports lowest since February 2011; annual record still broken

U.S. scrap paper exports in November reached the lowest volume since February 2011, while the average price of the material shipped was the lowest since September 2010, based on trade data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Despite that, the 21.1 million tons of scrap paper shipped through November was enough to break at the annual record of 21 million tons exported during the full year of 2009.

At the pace set through November, exports for December are projected to exceed 23 million tons. The Census Bureau is expected to publish final 2011 data by mid-February.

The drop in price and export volume came a month after traders reported a massive plunge in domestic prices and weak export demand.

Find out more about the current market for recovered paper from The Paper Stock Report.