BIR Malaga Session to Examine Shifts in Global Recovered Paper Markets

Recovered paper trade flows, changing demand, freight pressures and new EU waste-shipment requirements will be among the key issues examined during the BIR Paper Division session at the World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Malaga, Spain.

Published September 17, 2026

MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): The Bureau of International Recycling will bring recovered paper market participants together in Malaga, Spain, next month to examine changing global fibre flows, demand patterns and mounting trade and logistics challenges.

The BIR Paper Division will hold its dedicated session on Tuesday, October 27, from 15:15 to 16:45 as part of the BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition.

The session will be held under the presidency of Francisco Donoso of Spain-based DOLAF Servicios Verdes S.L., President of the BIR Paper Division.

Recovered Paper Trade Faces More Complex Market Conditions

The session comes as recovered paper markets face a combination of tight material availability, changing export demand and increasingly complex logistics.

BIR’s latest recovered paper market reporting has highlighted weak collection volumes in several major markets, firm competition for OCC and mixed paper, and higher freight costs caused by longer transit times, carrier surcharges and reduced transport predictability.

International buyers, particularly in Asia, continue to play an important role in balancing recovered fibre surpluses in Europe and North America, but purchasing decisions have become increasingly sensitive to price, freight exposure, contamination levels, documentation and delivery reliability.

DIWASS and EU Waste Shipment Rules on the Agenda

The Malaga session will include an update on DIWASS, the EU’s Digital Waste Shipment System, along with industry reactions to its implementation.

The system became operational on May 21 as part of the revised EU Waste Shipment Regulation and is now used for documentation associated with cross-border waste shipments.

BIR has previously said the new requirements have increased administrative workload and added another layer of complexity to international recovered paper trade.

Market Roundtable to Examine Current Trends

The programme will also include updates on current recovered paper market conditions and emerging trends.

An interactive market roundtable involving members of the BIR Paper Division Board is intended to provide participants with perspectives from different geographic markets and parts of the recycling value chain.

The discussion is expected to cover the challenges and opportunities shaping global recovered paper markets rather than focus on a single regional outlook.

Recovered Paper Becoming a More Strategic Resource

BIR has increasingly described recovered paper as more than a conventional traded recycling commodity.

Regulatory pressure for recyclable packaging, recycled-content requirements and the broader shift toward circular material use are increasing the strategic importance of reliable recovered fibre supply.

At the same time, export restrictions, logistics costs and inconsistent waste-shipment requirements can affect the ability of material to move efficiently from surplus regions to markets where fibre is needed.

Registration Available for Paper Sector Participants

Participants registered for the full BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition will have access to the Paper Division session as part of their registration.

BIR is also offering a special €1,275 rate for professionals exclusively active in the paper sector. The rate provides access to the full convention.

The Malaga convention runs October 26-27, with the Paper Division session scheduled as one of the final commodity meetings of the event.

For recovered paper recyclers, traders and mills, the session will provide an opportunity to compare current market conditions and assess how regulation, fibre availability, logistics and demand are reshaping international trade.