What's the difference between OCC (old corrugated cardboard) and mixed paper, and why does it matter for price?
Short answer: OCC is specifically corrugated cardboard boxes — a single, relatively clean material stream that's in high demand for recycling into new cardboard — while "mixed paper" is a catch-all for everything else (magazines, junk mail, mixed office paper, various coated papers), which is harder to reprocess into a single consistent product and consequently trades at a lower price than clean OCC.
Skip the phone calls. List your paper or cardboard once and let verified buyers on ScrapTrade come to you with real offers.
List Free →Why OCC is the premium grade
Corrugated cardboard has a consistent fibre structure that recyclers can process efficiently back into new cardboard — its uniformity and high demand (especially given e-commerce packaging volumes) makes it the most valuable common paper grade.
Why mixed paper trades lower
Mixed paper combines different fibre types, coatings, and inks that require more processing to separate and reprocess — this extra complexity, plus generally lower end-demand compared to OCC, is reflected in a lower price.
What this means for you
If you can keep your cardboard separate from other paper types rather than combining everything into one mixed pile, you’ll generally get meaningfully better value for the cardboard portion.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
ScrapTrade lets you list OCC and mixed paper as separate categories, so buyers price each on its actual grade rather than assuming the worst about an unsorted load.
Ready to sell or source paper and cardboard scrap without the guesswork? ScrapTrade connects verified buyers and sellers with escrow-protected payments and transparent weighing.
List or Find Paper Scrap on ScrapTrade →