Market Report

Prices up for all grades in USA

NL-Tilburg, 9 August 2026

While optimism has returned to the sector this week, French and Spanish mill buyers decided to lower the price of occ (kls/cardboard) for August by €10 per metric ton. And they did so about two days before local prices in the U.S. began to rise—not just for occ grades, but for virtually all grades of recovered paper. Demand in the U.S. has increased because local mills apparently noticed the dip in generation and had scaled back their purchases somewhat after building up inventory for Independence Day. Now they’re back in full swing, it seems, with slight price increases for occ grades in export also supporting demand in the U.S. market.
Against this backdrop, the price cuts of occ in France and Spain stand in stark contrast. Add to that the fact that German buyers, who had previously lowered their prices for occ/cardboard for August, have reversed course, and this explains the improved sentiment in the sector.

Price increases are also widespread locally across Europe for middle and high grades, with mill buyers cautioning against excessive optimism because order books don’t look good after the holidays and generation of recovered paper is expected to increase.  So, some caution is warranted. 
But there are so many factors that (may) influence the waste paper market, so who can predict where we’re headed?

The good news in the Netherlands is that VPE Eerbeek will resume operations on August 11. As always, this isn’t good news for everyone. It is, however, good news for their customers/converters of the board they produce. Increased supply makes the purchase price more attractive. For waste paper, it hardly makes a difference. A small amount of very clean scan board that was consumed there is practically insignificant for the recovered paper market. For the employees who can get back to work 

and the small retail businesses in Eerbeek, it’s obviously good news. Hopefully, they’ll continue to benefit from the success predicted by the buyers for a long time to come.

Price indication

Price indication in Europe for low grades of recovered paper, sorted, baled and ex works are now between € 60 and € 80 per tonne. These prices are depending on quality, available volume, region and loaded weight.

Look here at the Price chart >> 
  
The price chart gives an indication of the price  of mixed paper, separately collected, in the Netherlands free delivered mill over the last 10 years.
Scrolling over the top of the columns gives the exact price indication in Euro's per ton.