How Many Times Can Paper be Recycled?

It is well understood that paper fibers cannot be recycled indefinitely. The US EPA indicates that papers can be recycled an estimated 4-7 times and the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) cites 5-7 times. The range of reuse depends on both the type of fiber and the subsequent treatment of that fiber. Longer stronger fibers, like softwood kraft fibers used in paper bags, will generally survive longer than a shorter weaker fiber - such as a mechanically pulped hardwood used in newsprint and some magazine grades.