Paper and paperboard waste market in Hungary

Earlier Report Observations

The volume of the paper and paperboard waste market in Hungary fluctuated between 654 thousand tons and 710 thousand tons from 2018 to 2023, with domestic production remaining stable at 500 thousand tons annually. Early in the period, Chinese import restrictions announced in 2017 sharply reduced waste paper prices across Europe, creating a market crisis that affected Hungary.

The development of selective collection in Hungary, which reached 96 thousand tons of separately collected paper waste in 2019, supported market growth. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 led to a decrease in waste collection and rising paper prices, contracting the market. In 2022, EU regulatory changes, including a proposal to revise packaging waste rules to advance the circular economy, along with favorable waste paper purchase prices reaching EUR 200 per ton, stimulated domestic market activity.

Growing e-commerce demand increased the need for paper-based packaging, fostering innovation in the paper industry. Strengthening sustainability targets, such as the EU's goal to recycle 65% of packaging waste by 2025, continued to shape the market through 2023. Import and export flows remained volatile in 2024 and 2025, with imports of 481 thousand tons and 438 thousand tons and exports of 224 thousand tons and 268 thousand tons, respectively, while production held steady.

Production paper and paperboard waste in Hungary

In kind, 2018-2021, K t

Top producers of paper and paperboard waste, 2018-2021

World map of production of paper and paperboard waste, 2018-2021

In 2021, Hungary produced 500.0 K t of paper and paperboard waste, remaining unchanged from the previous year. The largest decline occurred in 2019, at 0.0%, while the largest increase was also recorded in 2019, at 0.0%.

Annual dynamics of production in Hungary in kind, 2018-2021, K t

Exports paper and paperboard waste from Hungary

Exports in kind, K t

After two years of decline, paper and paperboard waste exports from Hungary increased in 2021, reaching 270.4 K t, which represents a 16.0% rise compared to the previous year. Over the period from 2018 to 2021, exports decreased by 5%, with a compound annual growth rate of 1.7%. The lowest export volume was recorded in 2020 at 233.0 K t, with the largest decline of 14.8% also occurring in that year.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Hungary in kind, 2018-2021, K t

From 2018 to 2021, the main buyers of paper and paperboard waste from Hungary were Austria, accounting for 31.2% of exports in kind, Serbia at 13.7%, and Slovakia at 12.9%. Together, these three countries comprised 57.8% of total exports in kind.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's exports from Hungary in kind, 2018-2021

Exports in value, M $ US

The data shows irregular changes, indicating a volatile market environment. Exports in value terms peaked in 2021 and reached their lowest point in 2020, with a two-fold difference between these years. In 2021, paper and paperboard waste shipments from Hungary abroad stood at 57.7 M $ US, up by 95.9% compared to 2020. The minimum value was recorded in 2020 at 29.5 M $ US, with the largest decline of 20.9% also occurring in that year.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Hungary in value, 2018-2021, M $ US

Over the period from 2018 to 2021, Austria, with 33.6% of exports in value terms, Slovakia at 14.6%, and Serbia at 12.0%, stood out as the main markets for exports in value terms. Together, they represented 60.1% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's exports from Hungary in value, 2018-2021

Imports paper and paperboard waste to Hungary

Imports in kind, K t

In 2021, the volume of paper and paperboard waste imports into Hungary stood at 454.4 K t, representing a 2.6% rise compared to the previous year. Between 2018 and 2021, imports increased by 3.7%, equating to an annualized rate of 1.2%. The maximum import volume was recorded in 2019 at 460.0 K t, with the largest decline of 3.7% occurring in 2020 and the largest increase of 5.0% in 2019.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Hungary in kind, 2018-2021, K t

From 2018 to 2021, the partner portfolio for imports in kind of paper and paperboard waste to Hungary was quite broad. Poland accounted for 17.4% of imports in kind, Slovakia for 16.9%, and Romania for 15.4%. Together, these three countries represented 49.7% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's imports to Hungary in kind, 2018-2021

Imports in value, M $ US

Volatility characterized the market behavior during these years. A 2.2-fold variation was recorded between the maximum in 2021 and the minimum in 2020. Hungary imported approximately 105.3 M $ US of paper and paperboard waste in 2021, representing a sharp uptick of 115.5% from 2020. The minimum value was recorded in 2020 at 48.9 M $ US, with the largest decline of 18.2% also occurring in that year.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Hungary in value, 2018-2021, M $ US

Over the period from 2018 to 2021, Poland, with 18.7% of imports in value terms, Romania at 16.8%, and Slovakia at 16.2%, remained the leading destinations in the country structure of imports in value terms. Their combined share was 51.7% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's imports to Hungary in value, 2018-2021