Purchasing Recycled Paper: A Guide for Purchasing Officials Great Lakes Region Waste Paper Work Group EPA/905/9-81/014 May 1991 ------- Printed on recycled paper Inks are non-toxic Please recycle this handbook instead of discarding. ------- This handbook was developed by A.T. Kearney, Inc., with technical contributions by E.H. Pechan & Associates, Inc., under contract to Region V of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for die Great Lakes Region Waste Paper Work Group. Mention of companies, trade names, products or services is not, and should not be interpreted as conveying official U.S. EPA approval, endorsement or recommendation. ------- Acknowledgement This document and its contents do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions of either the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the Great Lakes Region Waste Paper Work Group. This handbook is intended to provide information to purchasing officials in the Great Lakes region. The members of the Great Lakes Region Waste Paper Work Group should be recognized for their outstanding efforts in helping develop this manual. Great Lakes Region Waste Paper Work Group Members Work Group Chairman Roger P. Hoffinan Executive Vice President Green Bay Packaging Richard J. Mason Vice President Perry H. Koplik & Sons Keith B. Tice National Director, Packaging and Labeling Sears Anthony M. Schultz Manager, Corporate Purchasing R.R. Donnelley & Sons Thomas A. Cihlar General Manager Packaging Corp. of America Tim Warren Director Office of Solid Waste & Renewable Resources Illinois Dept. of Energy & Natural Resources Jay Bergamini SEEP Contractor USEPA Region V Virgil K. Horton, Jr. Vice President American Paper Institute, Inc. Albert H. Toma, III Assistant to the President Fort Howard Corporation ------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Why Purchase Recycled Products? 1 Closing the Loop 1 Purchasing Power 2 Providing a Model 3 Getting Started 4 Take Inventory 5 What's On the Market 6 Evaluate Specifications 7 Purchasing Recycled Paper 9 Handling Cost Differentials 11 Cooperative Purchasing 13 Promote Your Purchasing Program 14 Monitor User Acceptance 15 Success Stories: Private Recycled 16 Paper Purchasing Programs Esprit 16 The Body Shop 17 Fort Howard 18 Information Sources 19 Appendices 23 Sources 35 ------- Why Purchase Recycled Products? THE CHASING ARROWS of the recycling symbol may be familiar, but not everyone knows what they represent. Many people think that the arrows represent the buzzwords of waste minimization and recycling -- reduce, reuse, recycle. Actually, the arrows represent the three necessary steps in recycling collection, manufacturing, and purchasing. The number of municipal and commercial collection programs has recently increased dramatically. Through purchasing pro- grams, there is a unique opportunity to guarantee the continued success of these collection efforts by creating demand for products containing recycled materials. This handbook is designed for use by purchasing officials and provides practical information and guidelines for purchasing recycled paper prod- ucts. The methods pre- sented here can be adopted by anyone, whether you are pur- chasing for a govern- ment agency or a pri- vate sector organization. The purchase of re- cycled products pro- motes community good- will as well as the con- servation of natural re- sources. Purchasing is the key to completing the recycling loop Closing the Loop IT IS NO LONGER enough to separate garbage into components and deposit separated materials in a recycling bin or at the curb. Without markets, the separated cans, bottles and paper will simply end up as discrete piles in the local landfill. The markets are manufactur- ------- ers who use the cans, bottles and paper to produce new products. These manufacturers, in turn, need markets for their end prod- ucts. By purchasing recycled products, a market is provided which is necessary to close the recycling loop. Buying recycled products is a vital component of the recycling system. Purchasing Power ACCORDING TO THE National Institute of Governmental Pur- chasing (NIGP), purchases by state and local governments ac- count for approximately 13% of the gross national product. This market share enables government agencies to exert significant influence on product supply. When businesses join with govern- ment, the influence is even greater. Purchasing recycled products can have an incredible impact on the availability and price of recycled products. Currently, the Supply Cost ($) supply is limited and the price of some products is higher than virgin products because recycled products are often produced by small manufacturers. Purchasing recycled products supports small manufacturers and encourages additional manufacturing. Ultimately prices will decline as supply is increased. ------- Providing a Model MANY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES and businesses are interested in purchasing recycled products because "it is the right thing to do" and helps them to project an image of concern for the environ- ment. Commitment by government, corporate, and agency manage- ment is essential to begin a recycled paper procurement program. This commitment may be reflected in state laws, local ordinances, executive orders, and corporate management directives. Ideally, directives should include a commitment to purchase recycled paper, reusable and recyclable paper products, and compatible equipment. This commitment must then be translated into pro- curement regulations and policy. Purchasing officials may be required to revise existing paper specifications to include the purchase of recycled paper. Each of the states in the Great Lakes area has a recycled products procurement law. The laws of Illinois, Indiana, Michi- gan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin specifically address procurement of recycled paper, as does the Ohio governor's Executive Order 90-22. Similarly, local jurisdictions such as Chicago and Milwau- kee have adopted recycled paper procurement ordinances, city council resolutions, or other directives. As government agencies and businesses purchase and use re- cycled products, they set an example for everyone and promote the merits of purchasing recycled products. ------- Getting Started END USERS AND printers probably remember the poor quality of the recycled papers available in the 1970s and, as a result, are reluctant or opposed to using recycled paper today. Technologi- cal advances have made high quality recycled products available which are similar in quality and performance to products made from virgin materials. Today, recycled paper is available from a number of sources in a variety of grades. Choosing the grade or quality of recycled paper is dependent on particular needs and ultimate uses of the paper. As the interest in procuring recycled paper increases, it is particularly important to collect as much information on the subject as possible. This is necessary in order to make cost- effective and responsible decisions. Begin the education process by discussing recycled paper with recycling coordinators. Information is also available from state purchasing and solid waste agencies, vendors, and manufactur- ers. Ask about recycled paper performance, price, and availabil- ity. The range of available recycled paper products changes monthly as manufacturers introduce new products in response to demand. Staying informed of market developments either through recycling coordinators, vendors, or industry publications will facilitate the procurement process. Lists of mills and vendors producing recycled paper are available from the U.S. EPA, the American Paper Institute, and from some state governments. Appendices A and B also present lists of contacts who can provide useful information about recycling procurement pro- grams. Appendix C provides a list of recycling industry publica- tions . ------- Take Inventory AFTER THE RESEARCH and fact-finding stage, there are a number of logical steps to follow in order to determine which recycled paper products to purchase. TAKE INVENTORY. Determine both the types and quantities of paper products currently used. This information will be used in conjunction with information about recycled paper availability to phase in purchasing recycled paper. This approach allows mills and converters time to produce recycled paper products, vendors time to stock them, and users time to become familiar with recycled paper performance. REVIEW PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS. For example, computer print- out paper (CPO) is used both for printing drafts or data which are retained for short periods of time and for printing data which are retained for years. Recycled CPO containing groundwood fibers (e.g., old newspaper) is suitable for drafts and short retention periods but not for records to be retained for years. Identify requirements which are overly stringent or unneces- sary. For example, a brightness requirement for office pads is probably unnecessary. In addition, many brightness require- ments for office stationery are higher than necessary. DETERMINE PRODUCT AVAILABILITY IN YOUR AREA. Although mills and converters are now producing a broad range of recycled paper products, not all of these products are available in every area. Note that although a product is currently unavailable, it may become available in the future. Inquiries help to assure that product availability will increase. ------- Take A Closer Look At What's On The Market Now! Currently Available Recycled Paper Products Q Bond and other stationery Q Text and cover stock, including offset printing papers Q Copier/xerographic paper Q Computer printout paper Q Forms Q Office paper, including note pads, telephone message pads, index cards, Post-it notes, steno books, notebooks and journals, and easel pads Q File folders, including manila folders, hanging file folders, and accordion files Q Report covers Q Calculator tape Q Adding machine and cash register rolls Q Facsimile paper Q School supplies, including note paper and construction paper Q Railroad board Q Posterboard Q Boxes, including shipping and storage boxes Q Bags Q Labels Q Industrial wipers and janitorial supplies Q Napkins and toweling Q Toilet tissue Q Facial tissue ------- Evaluate Specifications BEFORE PURCHASING RECYCLED paper it is critical to evaluate specifications so that the recycled paper meets your needs. Devel- oping specifications need not be a difficult or complicated task. New paper specifications may not be necessary in order to buy recycled paper. Instead, review existing paper specifications and in most cases, revising these specifications will be all that is necessary. Tailoring specifications (brightness, weight, strength, opacity) requires a thorough review of the existing specs with particular attention paid to language that can create barriers to purchasing recycled paper or that can limit its use. In general, some of the requirements to be aware of are: Clauses that limit the materials to be used (e.g., only virgin materials can be used) Minimum content standards Aesthetics requirements which are too stringent or unnecessary Paper color matching requirements (e.g., envelopes and stationery) Not all paper products require the same level of quality or brightness, nor is it necessary for all paper products to match the paper currently in use. There are a number of paper products, such as note pads and paper used for draft reports, which need not meet the same brightness standards or aesthetics requirements as letterhead or paper used in printing processes. In developing specifications, it is necessary to understand what is considered a recycled fiber and what postconsumer materials refer to. To familiarize yourself with these terms, refer to com- monly used recycling terms on page 8 or to Appendix G for a more complete glossary of terms. ------- In addition, U.S. EPA has developed guidelines and recom- mendations for paper specifications. Appendix D provides U.S. EPA recommended standards and Appendix E presents a sum- mary of recycled paper specifications recently adopted by the Congressional Joint Committee on Printing for use in federal printing. Key Recycling Terms The key terms to consider are recycled fiber, recovered materials, postconsumer, waste paper, and groundwood. <$» Recycled Fiber and Recovered Materials - materials generated by the forest/lumber industries, paper mills, and intermediate manufacturers, such as converters, as well as printed materials that have not yet reached the consumer, and postconsumer materials. «> Postconsumer materials have gone through their intended end use and are being discarded. «> Waste paper - both postconsumer materials and some pre- consumer materials. EPA uses this term only with respect to the content of printing and writing papers. *J> Groundwood - wood pulp manufactured by a mechanical process. Examples of groundwood uses are newsprint, tissue, towel, and paperboard. Some higher grade printing papers also can contain groundwood, although not usually because groundwood causes paper to yellow and deteriorate. 8 ------- Purchasing Recycled Paper THE DECISION TO purchase recycled paper has been made. In preparation, information has been collected, paper needs have been inventoried and specifications have been identified. You are ready now to accept proposals/bids from vendors. Preparing a solicitation for recycled paper is no different from nonrecycled paper. The only difference may be the paper specifications. The specifications should be highlighted in the solicitation in order to avoid confusion. Most purchasing officials require vendors to specify in their bids the recycled content of the paper offered. To ensure the content of the recycled paper, consider using a certification clause. The certification can be provided by either the vendor or the mill. Wisconsin, for example, requires offerers to obtain certifications of recycled content from the supplying mill. The federal government requires offerers both to specify and to certify the recycled content. The certifications are expressed as a percentage of the total content. Although there are many types of recycled paper and paper products available, not every vendor carries all products. To maximize availability, do not use "all or none" clauses in the solicitation which require vendors to supply all products. In- stead, allow vendors to offer one or more of the items covered by a solicitation. When the U.S. Government Printing Office makes its quarterly paper purchases, each grade of paper required is assigned a lot number, and offerers can bid on one or more lots. This procedure has allowed recycled paper vendors to participate in the bidding. ------- Sample Certification* The sample certification is from a U.S. Government Printing Office solicitation. Certification The offerer shall certify that all papers supplied under ' any contract resulting from this solicitation will meet or exceed the minimum percentage of recovered materials below (see definitions). (Offerer should only make entries that apply to this offer) Weight of Minimum % Offerer's % Paper Waste paper content 50 in ofiset and/or writing paper Postconsumer 40 recovered materials content in newsprint The Government reserves the right to require proof of such certification prior to first delivery and thereafter as may be otherwise provided for under the provisions of the contract. CERTIFICATE OF WASTE PAPER AND/OR RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT The offerer hereby certifies that all papers proposed to be supplied under this contract will contain the percentage(s) in the column "offerer's percentage" above. 1 Bidder's Company Bidder (type or print) Bidder's Signature Title Date * The Great Lakes states do not require certification of recycled fiber content, although they do require offerors to specify the content of the paper. Wiscon- sin also requires offerors to obtain certification of contents from the mills. 10 ------- Handling Cost Differentials RECYCLED PAPER, PARTICULARLY printing and writing paper, can cost more than comparable products manufactured using virgin materials. The cost differential varies over time and from grade to grade. Currently, recycled printing and writing paper is often pro- duced by the smaller mills, which cannot achieve the economies of scale of large, fully integrated paper mills. Other factors such as the supply of virgin paper, costs of raw materials, and the international paper market affect price differentials. Despite its higher price, some government agencies and busi- nesses purchase recycled paper. They use preferential purchas- ing mechanisms, such as price preferences, set asides, and dual bids. Examples of Price Preference and Set-Aside Legislation Illinois Wherever feasible, the Depart- ment of Central Management Ser- vices, with the assistance of all state agencies, shall maximize the state's use of recycled paper and paperproducts. By June 30,1989, at least 10% of the total volume of paper and paper products pur- chased by the Department of Cen- tral Management Services will contain recycled materials; by June 30,1992, at least 25% of the total volume of paper and paper prod- ucts purchased by the Department of Central Management Services shall contain recycled materials; and by June 30,1996, at least 40% of the total volume of paper and pa- per products purchased by the Department of Central Manage- ment Services shall contain recycled materials. Michigan To the extent available, all pa- per products purchased or con- tracted for by the department shall be made from recycled paper if the cost is not greater than 110% of the cost of paper that docs not contain recycled fibers. H ------- Price preferences allow the purchase of recycled paper prod- ucts even if they are slightly more expensive than comparable virgin items. As a general rule, some government agencies use preferences of 10%, although some jurisdictions have prefer- ences as low as 5% or as high as 15%. Indiana and Michigan are the only Great Lakes states that currently have price preferences. Set asides are an alternative or complement to price prefer- ences. By June 30, 1992, 25% of the total volume of paper and paper products purchased in Illinois must contain recycled mate- rials whenever feasible. This figure will rise to 40% by June 30, 1996. In Michigan, the recycled paper set aside is 40% of total paper purchased in 1990, and 50% of total paper purchased in 1991 and thereafter. In Wisconsin, the set asides are 10% of all purchased paper by 1991, 25% by 1993, and 40% by 1995. Dual track bids allow receipt of bids from both vendors offering recycled paper products as well as those offering virgin paper products. If a recycled paper offer is the low bid, the contract is awarded to that vendor. If a virgin paper offer is the low bid, the contract is awarded to that vendor and a contract is awarded to the lowest priced recycled paper offerors. Dual bidding will decrease as recycled paper availability is established and prices drop. 50.0%- 1 2 40.0% - V b I" 30.0%- | 20.0% - I I i 10.0% - § s. 0.0% '92'96 Illinois '90'91 Michigan '91 '93 '95 Wisconsin 12 ------- Cooperative Purchasing WHETHER YOU ARE purchasing virgin paper or recycled paper, the greater the volume purchased, the smaller the unit cost. Cooperative purchasing is a useful mechanism for purchasing larger quantities and obtaining more favorable prices. All of the states in the Great Lakes area have cooperative purchasing available to the local governments. In addition to accessing state government purchasing con- tracts, local governments can work together to make cooperative purchases. Similarly, businesses and nonprofit organizations can make cooperative purchases. Illinois and Indiana; In both Illinois and Indiana, local govern- ments can purchase recycled paper products from vendors under state contracts. Michigan: Michigan has an extended purchasing program which makes vendqrs-unUer state contracts available to local governments. There is a chkrere for'2fe-~«£ the contracts. \ **' Mlif^ .' Minnesota: %Ilrin'iei9Otafte\|&ee W^^jive purchasing mecha- nisms. Similar|to Michigan, 1tlSt?^H,.iC'&ei%e4 cooperative purchas- ing program \$hich ma^es vendors ppdp sj&td contracts available to local governments. L0c^.jpvefflmjmtj; aJbo|kii purchase recycled paper productiirorn statest^res. In slddftpn, both^ocal governments and private purchasers can'*<|btairt"^ecy;cJcd paj?e'r frprn the state's print and communications department" """'"" ""'" ; Ohio: Ohio permits local goyem^ients.^f gurcna$fe from state contracts. A limited amourlt,of recycled papfe^is Currently available under two state contracts. Tntjre is a fee b^ed'o'n fiie population of the jurisdiction. Wisconsin: Local governments can access state contracts. In addition, under legislation enacted in 1990, the Department of Administration has created a clearinghouse of information about recycled products including product availability, price, quality, and vendors. 13 ------- Promote Your Purchasing Program ONE OF THE best methods to increase the availability of recycled paper products is to advertise an interest in purchasing them. During the past two years, the quantity and range of recycled paper products has increased dramatically in response to govern- ment and private demand. Promotion also encourages other government and private purchasing agents to consider using recycled paper products. At a minimum, inform existing vendors in advance that future solicitations will include recycled paper requirements. Announce your program in industry, recycling, and solid waste publica- tions, in trade association newsletters, in state or local recycling/ solid waste newsletters, and in state or local listings of solicita- tions. Successful solicitations of recycled paper products should be announced to encourage other vendors to stock recycled paper and to encourage other public and private purchases. Include the phrase "Printed on Recycled Paper" whenever appropriate. Finally, stress the importance of closing the recycling loop by making a corporate commitment to purchasing recycled paper products. The CEO, or some other top company official, needs to inform all employees of the company's mission to buy recycled. A percentage goal can be made for fiber content (e.g., all paper products must contain 10 percent recycled fiber). Make this corporate commitment known to all employees through announce- ments, memos and/or visible means as illustrated below. CORPORATE COMMITMENT ------- Monitor User Acceptance EXPECT RESISTANCE TO recycled paper use based on misinforma- tion about the quality and performance of the products available today. Acceptance of recycled paper is an integral component of a successful recycled paper procurement program. A survey of users is a valuable tool to discern if the recycled paper is being used as well as any problems encountered. It is also important to determine if the problems identified are real or reflect resistance to use. For example, a problem with copier malfunctions could be incorrectly blamed on recycled paper when in fact the problem is a worn or defective part. Appendix F presents recycled paper performance tests. In addition to identifying problems, user surveys will also identify successes and lessons learned. These successes and les- sons should be publicized in order to educate other potential users about the quality and performance of recycled paper. An annual review of recycled paper purchasing programs will provide useful information and should include: sS»"ff" ------- Success Stories: Private Recycled Paper Purchasing Programs Esprit ESPRIT, A WHOLESALE and retail women's and children's clothing manufacturer converted to re- cycled paper for its catalogs, stationery, and other office supplies. Because the company is located in California, it decided to use that state's definition of recycled paper which is 50% secondary waste in- cluding 10% postconsumer waste. It initially en- countered confusion in the marketplace about defi- nitions and limited availability of recycled paper with postconsumer content. Esprit persevered in its research of recycled paper sources and began working with a supplier of recycled paper to meet its needs. The staff also became educated about using recycled paper and learned to adjust their graphics and ink specifications to the qualities of the paper. Today, Esprit uses recycled paper for its catalogs and other direct mail needs. Based on its graphics experience with recycled paper, Esprit also purchases recycled paper for office use, including stationery, postcards, janitorial supplies, intercompany forms, labels, three-part forms, and business cards. 16 ------- The Body Shop THE BODY SHOP produces naturally-based soaps, shampoos, moisturizers and related skin and hair products. Respect for the environment is a corpo- rate principle, and the concepts of waste minimiza- tion and recycled are actively practiced. Since expanding to the United States from England three years ago, The Body Shop has been purchasing many recycled paper products. Currently, small bags contain recycled fiber; corporate stationery, By-Mail catalogue, and leaflets are printed on re- cycled paper; and, recycled office paper products - from copier paper to files - are purchased. The Body Shop is working actively with equipment manufacturers and recycledpaper mills and vendors to overcome potential barriers. For example, use of recycled copier paper was extensively researched and The Body Shop requested a letter from their copy machine manufacturer stating that recycled paper was acceptable for use in a recently purchased a copier. Similarly, after experiencing jams when using 100% recycled CPO, the company is trying three-part forms comprised of a 50% waste paper top sheet and two virgin sheets. Cost, availability, and color reproduction also have been barriers to using recycled paper prod- ucts. To remove these barriers, a corporate decision was made to purchase recycled paper, monitor market developments, and minimize/reuse waste. The company also learned to adjust colors and graphics as necessary to accommodate the charac- teristics of recycled paper. ------- Fort Howard IN 1991, FORT Howard Corporation of Green Bay, Wisconsin agreed to recycle large quantities of outdated telephone books from Ameritech Pub- lishing/Wisconsin Bell. Telephone books, along with other grades of waste paper, are recycled into various tissue products at Fort Howard's Green Bay mill. The recycling of these telephone books not only provides a good use for this poor quality, low grade paper, but also prevents unnecessary landfilling of bulky telephone books. Additionally, Ameritech Services, which is the purchasing branch for Ameritech and the five Bell Companies surrounding Wisconsin, have begun to purchase the recycled tissue products manufac- tured by Fort Howard. Purchasing these 100% recycled tissue products is what closes the recycling loop and decreases the use of limited virgin re- sources. 18 ------- Information Sources CURRENTLY THERE ISN'T one comprehensive source of infor- mation on purchasing recycled products in general or recycled paper in particular. The following sources can be useful in providing information on the various steps in the purchasing process. U.S. Conference of Mayors The United States Conference of Mayors, in cooperation with the U.S. EPA, is conducting a "Buy Recycled" campaign to encourage cities to purchase recycled products. The Conference of Mayors has established a task force to develop a technical assistance package, which will contain model ordinances, infor- mation on how to find suppliers in or near jurisdictions, articles about procurement policies, and information on upcoming work- shops on local government procurement. They are also establish- ing a network of cities already purchasing recycled products to help other cities form procurement policies and programs. Con- tact Richard Kochan at (202) 293-7330. ------- U.S. EPA Procurement Guidelines Hotline The U.S. EPA has issued guidelines for purchasing recycled products, including a guideline for recycled paper and paper products. Copies of the guideline, lists of manufacturers and vendors, and other information about purchasing recycled paper can be obtained at no charge by calling U.S. EPA's procurement guidelines hotline (703) 941-4452. Federal Agencies The principal federal agencies involved in recycled paper specifications and procurement are the Congressional Joint Com- mittee on Printing (JCP), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Government Printing Office (GPO), and the U.S. EPA. National Office Paper Recycling Project The National Office Paper Recycling Project, a collaborative effort between private industry and governmental organizations, is developing a national strategy for office paper recycling. This includes analysis of markets for office paper waste, methods to increase market demand for recycled paper, procurement poli- cies which insure the maximum reuse of the nation's office waste paper and efforts to coordinate private and public sector initia- tives in office paper recycling. For further information contact 20 ------- Brian Day or Christine Denniston at (202) 293-7330. Official Recycled Products Guide (RPG) The RPG is a unique publication that lists thousands of re- cycled products in hundreds of product categories. Information is indexed by product, brandname, geographic area, and company. A telephone directory is included to assist users to find recycled products. It also provides a list of useful references, including contacts, definitions, and information about the U.S. EPA re- cycled paper procurement guideline and the Canadian EcoLogo standard. It is available on a subscription basis. Call (800) 267- 0707. Peer Match Programs The Governmental Refuse Collection and Disposal Association (GRCDA) (now known as the Solid Waste Association of North America or SWANA) and the National Recycling Coalition, with funding from the U.S. EPA, provides advisors on all aspects of solid waste management, including purchasing through a peer match program. The program is designed to provide technical assistance to state and local governments and includes provisions for 50% of the advisors' travel cost to local communities. Call (800) 456-4723. The International City Management Association (ICMA) also operates a peer match program, with U.S. EPA funding, which provides advisors to local governments on all aspects of solid waste management. The ICMA program covers up to 50% of 21 ------- travel costs. Call Sarith Guerra, (202) 962-3649. PaperMatcher The American Paper Institute (API) recently introduced a directory which lists by state, paper mills that use recycled fiber, waste paper dealers, and recycling centers. PaperMatcher is free and can be obtained by calling API's Solid Waste Resource Center, (800) 878-8878, or by writing to the American Paper Institute, Suite 210, 1250 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washing- ton, DC 20036. Solid Waste Information Clearinghouse The Solid Waste Information Clearinghouse (SWICH) is funded by the U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste for the purpose of increasing the availability of information on solid waste manage- ment. SWICH may provide assistance to government agencies, professional associations, industry, citizens groups and anyone else interested in any aspect of solid waste management. SWICH operates an Electronic Bulletin Board (EBB) to provide cm-rent information on solid waste issues such as meeting and conference information, new publications, expert contact information, tech- nical information, and state and federal legislative and regulatory changes. SWICH also provides a Library System which includes j ournals, reports, studies, proceedings, curricula, films and video tapes. Both the SWICH EBB and Library System may be accessed by modem (call 1-800-677-9424 for access information), by faxing a request to SWICH (301-585-0297) or by calling SWICH directly at 1-800-677-9424. 22 ------- These appendices were developed as a service to purchasing officials. Companies listed are not endorsed by U.S. EPA or the Great Lakes Region Waste Paper Work Group, nor are any exclusions intentional. Information contained herein was obtained from industry-wide sources, as cited on page 35. ------- Appendix A Federal Contacts Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) Faye Padgett JCP specifications (202)224-1176 General Services Administration (GSA) Benny Wong Specifications (212)264-8724 Government Printing Office (GPO) Caseeda Moody (202)275-2022 Tony Valentine (202)275-2595 Sylvia Subt (202)275-2966 Quarterly GPO solicitations Printing contracts Paper testing Environmental Protection Agency Richard Braddock Procurement guidelines (202)382-2780 Randy Bacon (202)382-2128 Paper performance 24 ------- Appendix B State Contacts ILLINOIS Charles Rogers Manager, Procurement Services Division Illinois Dept. of Central Management Services 801 Stratton Office Building Springfield, IL 62706 (217) 785-3868 INDIANA Eric Swedberg Dept. of Administration Procurement Division Indiana Government Center South 402. W. Washington Street, Room 468 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 232-3198 MICHIGAN William Warstler Purchasing Director Michigan State Office of Purchasing P.O. Box 30026 Lansing, MI 48909 (517) 373-0300 MINNESOTA Lynne Markus Materials Management Division Purchasing Department, Room 112 State Administration Bldg. St. Paul, MN 55155 (612) 296-9084 OHIO Steve Morbitzer Administrative Services State Purchasing Department 364 South 4th Street Columbus, OH 43266-0364 (614) 466-0530 WISCONSIN Dan Wehrinan Bureau of Procurement Wisconsin Department of Administration P.O. Box 7867 Madison, WI 53707 (608) 267-6922 ------- Appendix C Recycling and Paper Industry Publications The following list is not intended to be a compendium of recycling and paper industry publications. Instead, it identifies magazines and newspapers that cover developments in recycled paper markets and products. Resource Recycling 1206 N.W. 21st Avenue P.O. Box 10540 Portland, OR 97210 (503) 227-1319 BioCycle P.O. Box 351 Emmaus,PA 18049 (215) 967-4135 Recycling Today G.I.E. Inc. Publishers 4012 Bridge Avenue Cleveland, OH 44113 (216) 961-4130 Waste Age 1730 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W. Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 861-0708 Garbage Old House Journal Corp. 435 Ninth Street Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 788-1700 Pulp & Paper Magazine Circulation Dept. 500 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 397-1881 Pulp & Paper Week Miller Freeman Publications 500 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 995-2424 Fibre Market News G.I.E. Inc. Publishers 4012 Bridge Avenue Cleveland, OH 44113 (800) 456-0707 The Paper Stock Report McEntee Media Corp. 13727 Holland Road Cleveland, OH 44142-3920 (216) 923-8042 Recycled Paper News CERMA 5528 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 642-1120, ext. 116 26 ------- Appendix D Federal Minimum Content Standards U.S. EPA recommended minimum content standards for paper and paper products. Waste Paper Fine Paper Offset printing 50% Mimeo and duplicator paper 50% Writing (stationery) 50% Office paper (e.g., note pads) 50% Paper for high speed copiers 50% Envelopes 50% Form bond, including computer 50% paper and carbonless Book paper 50% Bond paper 50% Ledger 50% Cover stock 50% Cotton fiber paper 50% (Must contain 25% recovered cotton fiber or linen fiber and 50% waste paper) Newsprint Tissue and Towel Toilet tissue Paper towels Paper napkins Facial tissue Doilies Boxes Corrugated boxes Fiber boxes Brown papers (e.g., bags) Paperboard Recycled paperboard products including folding cartons Pad backing Postconsumer Material 40% 20% 40% 30% 5% 40% 35% 35% 5% 80% 90% 1.27-' ------- JCP Code A70 G15 G45 Appendix E Selected Joint Committee On Printing Standards Title & Description O-65 Recycled Offset Book (5/2/90) 50% waste paper content required Postconsumer content encouraged 25% groundwood allowed Recycled Groundwood Forms Bond (6/29/90) 50% waste paper content required Postconsumer content encouraged 100% groundwood allowed Recycled 25% Bond (6/29/90) 75% recovered material content required, of which not less than 25% must be cotton or linen fibers, the remainder bleached chemical wood pulp Postconsumer content encouraged 5% groundwood allowed Recycled Plain Copier Xerographic (6/29/90) 50% waste paper content required Postconsumer content encouraged 5% groundwood allowed 28 ------- Appendix F Recycled Paper Performance Tests Illinois The Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) tested computer printout paper made from 100% old newspapers by FSC Paper Co. The CPO was tested on IBM 3800s, IBM 4248 impact printers, and Sperry 077 laser printers. No problems were experienced with the IBM 3800s and Sperry 077s. Some problems with paper ripping were experi- enced with the IBM 4248, although it was later concluded that the machine needed tuning. ENR has recommended the recycled COP for short term (i.e., nonarchival) uses. Both 18# and 15# are recommended, but ENR found that the 18# paper performs better than the 15# paper. ENR also tested multi-part forms and concluded that they worked better on slower equipment. For further information, contact Mitra Khazai at (217)524- 5471. Northwest Municipal Conference The Northwest Municipal Conference (NWMC) is a nonprofit organiza- tion supported by 34 municipalities and six townships in the north and northwest Chicago suburban area. Under a grant from the Illinois Depart- ment of Energy and Natural Resources, NWMC members tested recycled paper in 62 copier machines over a one-year period. The copiers included several large and small Xerox models, as well as models from Mita, Sharp, Savin, Minolta, Royal, Toshiba, IBM, Canon, Ricoh, Kodak, 3M, and AB Dick. The majority of testers rated quality and performance of the papers as adequate. Only two of the NWMC members identified problems with double-sided copying or misfeeds. Minnesota Minnesota has conducted informal tests of recycled paper as brands have been submitted. No written reports are available. Contact Lynne Markus at (612) 296-9084. ------- Wisconsin Wisconsin has been conducting informal customer acceptance testing of recycled paper in anticipation of a major copier paper purchase. It is seeking paper containing 50% waste paper including 10% postconsumer fiber. Pallet quantities of the following brands were tested: Badger Envirographic, Hammermill WP 50 DP, Nekoosa Ardor, and Xerox Recycled, which is produced by Domtar. Xerox 9900 and 1590 high-speed copiers were used. A formal report should be available by the end of February 1991. Preliminary findings include relatively few jams of any of the papers tested, some performance problems with collating, duplexing, and folding, and potentially higher maintenance costs due to increased dust. Contact Dan Wehrman, (608) 267-6922. U.S. Government Printing Office As of January 1991, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) had tested 14 brands of recycled copier paper. Ten thousand sheets of each brand were tested on a Xerox 9000 series or 5090 copier, a Kodak 300 series, or an IBM Series 3. The brands were tested against the Joint Committee on Printing specification 0-65. GPO has established a Qualified Products List for papers meeting O-65; it currently includes the following brands: Brand Name Emblem Xerographic Harmony Recycled Xerographic Savings WP 50 DP Weyerhaeuser Recycled Laser Copy Manufacturer Simpson Paper Co. Mead Papers Hammermill Papers Weyerhaeuser Co. GPO rejected brands from Nekoosa Paper, Eastern Fine Paper, Badger Paper Mills, Kimberly Clark de Mexico, Barton, Duer & Koch, Patriot Paper, Simpson Paper, International Paper, and Union Camp for one or more of the following characteristics: stiffness, Sheffield smoothness, cleanliness, fiber content, moisture content, and basis weight. Any or all of these brands can be resubmitted for testing at a later date. A report is not available but general information can be obtained by contacting Sylvia Subt, (202) 275-2966. 30 ------- New York City The City of New York has run extensive tests of four brands of recycled paper in Xerox 5090, Xerox 1090, and Kodak 300 copiers. Three of the four brands were found to be acceptable. A written report discussing the test results will be available in the spring of 1991. For information, contact Barbara Belasco, (212) 669-8949. Copier Manufacturers As part of a study for the County of San Diego, Recovery Sciences, Inc., contacted several copier manufacturers about recycled copier paper performance. The following information is a summary of their findings. For the original information, contact Steve Greely of Recovery Sciences, Inc., at (619) 481-1980. Xerox, Kodak, and Pitney Bowes have extensive testing programs for recycled copier paper. Xerox, Ricoh and Canon have put their own label on recycled paper in the Japanese market, and Xerox and Kodak are both working with recycled paper manufacturers to produce recycled paper bearing their labels for the American market. Kodak has tested Hammermill Savings WP 50 DP and Nekoosa Ardor Recycled Xero/Bond across its copier-duplicator and printer product lines. They were chosen based on their physical properties, performance, nation- wide availability and recycled content (50% waste paper and 10% postconsumer). The results of the extensive testing were satisfactory. Kodak also has noted that its customers have used other brands satisfacto- rily, including Simpson Emblem Xerographic Paper. Pitney Bowes also ran extensive physical and handling tests of ten brands of recycled paper, including Nekoosa Next Generation, Butler Springhill, IPCO Springhill Recycled DP, James River, Ecology, Fox River 25% Cotton, Recyclesource, Cross Pointe, and Recyconomic. All but the last three passed the physical evaluation, and the Nekoosa, Butler and Ecology lines passed the feeding test as well. Feed testing was not completed on the IPCO, James River, Fox River, Recyclesource, Cross Pointe, and Recyconomic lines, and the Cross Pointe paper jammed. It should be noted that these test results are at least a year old, and it is unknown if additional testing has been conducted. ------- Appendix G Glossary of Terms BAG AND SACK PAPER. Unbleached or bleached kraft paper, generally converted into bags or sacks, such as grocery bags or merchandise sacks. BOARD. An abbreviated version of paperboard (see definition). Term often used in the paper industry. BOXBOARD. A general term designating the paperboard used for fabricating folding cartons, setup boxes, milk cartons, and foodboard. It may be made of wood pulp or waste paper or any combinations of these and may be plain, lined, or clay coated. Box PLANT. A manufacturing plant where corrugated and/or solid fiber shipping containers are made by combining linerboard and corrugated medium into structural blanks. BRIGHTNESS. The reflectivity of pulp, paper, or paperboard for specified bluelight measured under standardized conditions. CARDBOARD. Common name for what the paper industry calls paperboard, boxboard, or board. COLOR FASTNESS. The property of a paper, dye or dyed paper to retain its color in normal storage or when exposed to light, heat, or other influences. COLOR SPECIFICATION. The quantitative description of a color. The color of papers is often specified in terms of trichromatic coefficients, and sometimes in terms of matching standardized color chips, or colored papers designated as standards. CORRUGATED BOXES. A box made of corrugated paperboard, which consists of one or more layers of flat board (linerboard) and corrugating medium (see Medium). r 32 ------- INTEGRATED PAPER MILL. A paper or board mill that produces substantially all its own pulp. A partially integrated mill is one that produces some but not all of its pulp. KRAFT. A process for making virgin fiber by a chemical digestion process. Term is also used to refer to the product, which is used for grocery bags and the outer layers of corrugated boxes, for example. The product is brown in color, but may be bleached, for example, to make milk cartons. LEDGER. Trade term for a group of high-grade waste papers that usually come from offices or print shops. Includes copier paper, computer print- out, envelopes, or other publication papers. The papers usually have printing on them, which can be removed by a deinking process. LlNERBOARD. The flat outer surfaces of corrugated board. MEDIUM. The fluted inner section of corrugated board. More properly called corrugating medium. NEWSPRINT. A generic term used to describe paper of the type generally used in the publication of newspapers. OFFICE PAPER. Those papers that are usually discarded in a business office. Generally refers to forms, envelopes, copy paper, stationery, and other papers that are normally associated with desk work activity. OPACITY. The property of a sheet that obstructs the passage of light and prevents seeing through to objects on the opposite side. This property is especially important for printing papers. PAPER. A generic term for all grades of paper and paperboard. In the industry, paper refers to thin products such as printing paper, newspaper, tissue paper, and wrapping paper. PAPERBOARD. In the industry, refers to thicker products such as boxes and other packaging material. Also called board in the paper industry. ------- POSTCONSUMER WASTE PAPER. Paper that has been used by a consumer (such as the reader of a newspaper) and is available for recycling or dis- posal. It should be noted that there is a significant discussion on the definition of postconsumer waste paper and this is but one definition. PRECONSUMER WASTE PAPER. Paper that has become a waste paper prior to being purchased or used by a consumer. Preconsumer waste paper consists primarily of trim, cuttings, and rejects from the conversion of paper and paperboard rolls or sheets into finished products. PRINTING PAPERS. Printing papers are those papers utilized by the printing industry and other end users for mass communications where many copies are required. Products include magazines, books, pamphlets, greeting cards, etc. RECYCLED PAPER. Paper that is wholly or partially made from preconsumer and/or postconsumer waste paper. RECYCLING. All activity whereby a secondary material is introduced as a raw material into a new product in such a manner that its original identity is lost. Recycling consists of four steps: collection, processing, marketing, and use of as a raw material. WASTE PAPER. Any paper or paper product which has lost its value for its original purpose and has been discarded. This includes any waste or scrap created in paper converting operations, such as printing plant waste and envelope cuttings, as well as discarded products such as boxes or newspa- pers. ------- Sources Appendix D "Guideline for Federal Procurement of Paper and Paper Products Containing Recovered Materials," Volume 53 Federal Register Page No. 23546, June 22, 1988 (40 CFR Part 250). Appendix E E.H. Pechan & Associates, Inc. Appendix G Franklin Associates, Ltd. "The Dictionary of Paper," published by the American Paper Institute, Inc., 1980 ------- |