Buy-Recycled Series
PAPER PRODUCTS
COMPREHENSIVE
PROCUREMENT
GUIDELINES
PAPER
Buying recycled products...
...conserves natural resources
...saves energy
...reduces solid waste
...reduces air and water pollutants
...reduces greenhouse gases
...creates new jobs
Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA-530-F-04-015
www. epa. gov/osw
May 2004
Ten years ago, very little recy-
cled-content printing and writ-
ing paper existed. Now, it's
readily available, along with recycled-
content newsprint, paper towels, and
corrugated packaging—and at higher
quality and more competitive prices
than ever before. That's in part due to
government initiatives since
1988, when the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) issued the
Procurement Guideline for
Paper and Paper Products
Containing Recovered
Materials. The 1988 paper
guideline's buy-recycled
requirements are now part of
EPA's Comprehensive
Procurement Guidelines
(CPG).
To make it easier to buy
recycled, the EPA updates
the CPG every 2 years.
Through the CPG, EPA des-
ignates items that must con-
tain recycled materials when
purchased with appropriated
federal funds by federal,
state, and local agencies, or
by government contractors.
Among these items, EPA has desig-
nated 5 types of paper products made
from recovered materials. EPA's
research shows that the items desig-
nated in the CPG are of high quality,
widely available, and cost-competi-
tive with virgin products. EPA also
issues nonregulatory companion
guidance—the Recovered Materials
Advisory Notice (RMAN)—that rec-
ommends levels of recycled content
for these items.
Why Buy Recycled?
Recycling is more than just dropping
off your cans, bottles, and newspapers
at the curb or at a local collection
facility. Diverting recyclables from
the waste stream is only the first of
three steps in the recycling process.
The second step occurs when compa-
nies use these recyclables to manu-
facture new products. The third step
comes when you purchase products
made from recovered materials.
That's how we close the loop.
Buying recycled products results in
many environmental benefits. It sup-
ports local recycling programs by cre-
ating markets for the collected
materials that are processed and used
to manufacture new products. This
creates jobs and helps strengthen the
economy; conserves natural
resources; saves energy; and reduces
solid waste, air and water pollutants,
and greenhouse gases that contribute
to global warming.
-------
What is CPG?
The Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act requires procuring agencies to buy
recycled-content products designated by
EPA in the CPG. Issued in May 1995, the first
CPG designated 19 new products and incorpo-
rated five previously designated items (includ-
ing paper and paper products) in eight product
categories. Paper RMAN I was published in
May 1996. Paper RMAN II,which superceded
the previous Paper RMAN, was published in
June 1998. The first CPG update (CPG II) was
published in November 1997. The second CPG
update (CPG III) was published in January
2000, and the third CPG update (CPG IV) was
published in April 2004. No new paper prod-
ucts were designated in any of the updates.
Procuring agencies include all federal agencies,
and any state or local government agencies or
government contractors that use appropriated
federal funds to purchase the designated items.
If your agency spends more than $10,000 per
year on a product designated in the CPG, you
are required to purchase it with the highest
recycled-content level practicable. The CPG
also applies to lease contracts covering desig-
nated items. Executive Order 13101 and the
Federal Acquisition Regulation also call for an
crease in the federal government's
recycled-content and environmentally prefer-
able products.
Once any new items are designated in a pub-
lished CPG update, an agency has 1 year to
develop an affirmative procurement program
(or revise an existing one) to include these new
items. By June 22, 1989, agencies were
required to develop affirmative procurement
programs to incorporate buy-recycled require-
ments for paper and paper products. Since
CPG IV designates no new paper products,
agencies are not required to revise this portion
of their affirmative procurement program.
The CPG acknowledges that specific circum-
stances might arise that preclude the purchase
of products made with recovered materials.
Your agency may purchase designated items
that do not contain recovered materials if it
determines that: 1) the price of a given desig-
nated item made with recovered materials is
unreasonably high, 2) there is inadequate com-
petition (not enough sources of supply), 3)
unusual and unreasonable delays would result
from obtaining the item, or 4) the recycled-
content item does not meet the agency's rea-
sonable performance specifications.
PAPER PRODUCTS
PAGE 2
-------
How Do I Purchase Recycled-
Content Paper Products?
The Paper Products RMAN II recommends recy-
cled-content levels that you can look for when
purchasing paper products, as shown in the
table on the following pages. Use EPA's RMAN recom-
mendations as a starting point. The recommendations
are based on market research used to identify recycled-
content products that are commercially available. The
RMANs also provide other purchasing guidance. Please
refer to for more
information on individual products.
Rather than specifying just one level of recycled
content, the RMAN recommends ranges for many
paper products, which reflect what is currently
available in the United States. The recycled content
of paper products varies; therefore, you should con-
tact local paper mills or merchants to determine
product availability. Try to purchase paper contain-
ing the highest content that is available to you.
When buying paper other than printing and writing
paper, specify that you want paper "containing X
percent recovered fiber, including Y percent post-
consumer fiber." (For most printing and writing
papers, you can simply say you're looking for 30
percent postconsumer content.)
In addition, make sure you measure recovered and
postconsumer fiber content as a percentage of the
weight of all fiber in the paper, not as a percentage
of the total weight of the sheet. (The total weight
also includes the weight of dyes, fillers, and water
used in the manufacturing process.)
Access EPA's online recycled-content products
database by going to and select-
ing "Supplier Database." See the last section of this
fact sheet for other helpful resources.
Key Terms
Before buying recycled-content paper products meeting EPA's recommendations, you'll need to under-
stand some important terms.
Postconsumer fiber:
• Is the paper recovered in our homes and offices.
• Does not include newsstand returns and printers' overruns.
Recovered fiber:
• Includes scrap generated at mills after the end of the papermaking process; converting and printing
scrap; newsstand returns and printers' overruns; obsolete inventory of mills, printers, and others;
damaged stock; and postconsumer fiber.
• Is not waste. EPA has replaced the term waste paper used in the 1988 guidelines with recovered fiber,
to acknowledge that this material is a valuable resource.
• Must be repulped. Paper cannot simply be re-cut or repackaged to count as recovered-content paper
• Does not include forest residues such as sawdust and wood chips from forestry operations.
Mill broke:
• Is scrap generated in a mill prior to the completion of the papermaking process.
• EPA recommends that you allow mills to count the recycled-content portion of mill broke. You
should not count the nonrecycled-content portion, however.
PAPER PRODUCTS
PAGE 3
-------
1 EPA's Recommended Content Levels for Paper Products
ITEM 1 NOTES 1 POSTCONSUMER 1
1 1 RECOVERED 1
^^^^m
1 1
FIBER |
TOTAL
RECOVERED
FIBER
Reprographic
Offset
Tablet
Forms Bond
Envelope
Cotton Fiber
Text and
Cover
Supercalendered
Machine
Finished
Groundwood
Papeteries
Check Safety
Coated
Carbonless
File Folders
Dyed Filing
Products
Index and Card
Stock
Business papers such as bond, electrostatic,
copy, mimeo, duplicator, and reproduction
Used for book publishing, commercial printing
direct mail, technical documents, and manuals
Office paper such as note pads and notebooks
Bond type papers used for business forms such
as continuous, cash register, sales book, unit
sets, and computer printout, excluding
carbonless
Wove
Kraft, white, and colored (including manilla)
Kraft, unbleached
Excludes custom envelopes
High-quality papers used for stationary,
invitations, currency, ledgers, maps, and
other specialty items
Premium papers used for cover stock, books
and stationary and matching envelopes
Groundwood paper used for advertising and
mail order inserts, catalogs, and some magazines
Groundwood paper used in magazines
and catalogs
Used for invitations and greeting cards
Used in the manufacture of commercial
and government checks
Used for annual reports, posters, brochures, and
magazines. Have gloss, dull, or matte finishes
Used for multiple-impact copy forms
Manilla or colored
Used for multicolored hanging folders and
wallet files
Used for index cards and postcards
30%
30%
30%
30%
30%
10-20%
10%
30%
30%
10%
10%
30%
10%
10%
30%
30%
20%
20%
30%
30%
30%
30%
30%
10-20%
10%
30%
30%
10%
10%
30%
10%
10%
30%
30%
20-50%
50%
PAPER PRODUCTS
PAGE 4
-------
Pressboard High-strength paperboard used in binders and
report covers
Tags and Used for toll and lottery tickets, licences,
Tickets and identification and tabulating cards
Newsprint
Newsprint Groundwood paper used in newspapers
Commercial Sanitary Tissue Products
Bathroom Tissue Used in rolls or sheets
Used rolls or sheets
Used in food service applications
Used for personal care
Used in cleaning and wiping applications
Paper Towels
Paper Napkins
Facial Tissue
General-purpose
Industrial Wipers
Paperboard and Packaging Products
Corrugated
Containers
Solid Fiber
Boxes
Folding Cartons
Industrial
Paperboard
Miscellaneous
Padded Mailers
Carrierboard
Brown Papers
Miscellaneous Paper Products
Tray Liners
Used for packaging and shipping a variety
of goods
(<300 psi)
(300 psi)
Used for specialized packaging needs such
dynamite packaging and army ration boxes
Used to package a wide variety of foods,
household products, cosmetics,
Pharmaceuticals, detergent, and hardware
Used to create tubes, cores, cans, and drums
Includes "chipboard" pad backings, book covers
covered binders, mailing tubes, game boards,
and puzzles
Made from Kraft paper that is usually brown
but can be bleached white
A type of folding carton designed for multipack
beverage cartons
Used for bags and wrapping paper
POSTCONSUMER
RECOVERED
FIBER
50%
20%
20-85%
20-60%
40-60%
30-60%
10-15%
40%
Used to line food service trays. Often contain
printed information
50-75%
TOTAL
RECOVERED
FIBER
20%
20-50%
20-100%
20-100%
40-100%
30-100%
10-100%
40-100%
25-50%
25-30%
40%
40-80%
45-100%
75-100%
5-15%
10-15%
5-20%
25-50%
25-30%
40%
100%
100%
90-100%
5-15%
10-100%
5-40%
100%
PAPER PRODUCTS
PAGE 5
-------
Paper Buying Tips
To make it even easier to buy recycled-content paper
products, EPA offers the following purchasing tips for the
various paper product categories outlined in the RMAN.
Printing and writing papers comprise one of the largest
categories of paper and paper products. Examples include
stationery, computer printout paper, note pads, copier
paper, and offset paper. Printing and writing papers can
be uncoated or coated.
When buying printing and writing paper, remember to:
• Work with your printer. Different papers exhibit dif-
ferences in performance and printability. Some print-
ers might first want to test certain papers with a
particular ink. Printers also can help you select papers
based on how they will be used (i.e., whether they will
be folded, die-cut, or made into self-mailers).
• Work with your graphic designer. Some papers are
better than others for certain design needs. Make
sure both the designer and printer agree that the
paper you choose will meet your expectations.
• Consider the environmental ramifications of your
purchasing decisions. Papers with certain character-
istics, such as deep colors, coatings, or groundwood
content, might not be recyclable in your existing
office paper recycling program or might require
changes to the program. Consider the effects of your
paper purchases before deciding to purchase a specif-
ic paper.
Newsprint is a type of groundwood paper generally used
to print newspapers. Recycled-content newsprint is
usually manufactured from fiber recovered from old
newspapers and magazines. The federal government
uses newsprint for printing the Federal Register,
Congressional Record, and other publications.
When purchasing newsprint, consider these helpful
hints:
• Pay attention to newsprint's basis weight. Basis
weight is the weight in pounds of a ream of paper
cut to a specified size. Different weights hold up
better in different presses. Recycled-content
newsprint ranging from 25 to 32 pounds generally
performs well. The U.S. Government Printing Office
specifies 28 pound recycled-content newsprint.
• Consider your requirements for the newsprint you're
buying. Recycled-content newsprint manufacturers
are making products that meet their clients' perfor-
mance requirements (e.g., print-ability, brightness,
cleanliness, and opacity).
• Determine whether newsprint is recyclable in your
existing recycling program. Some office paper recy-
cling programs do not accept groundwood papers
such as newsprint; find out whether yours does
before you buy newsprint.
Sanitary tissue products include bathroom and facial tis-
sue, paper towels, napkins, and general-purpose industri-
al wipers. When purchasing these products remember
these tips:
• Avoid misconceptions about softness, absorbency,
and strength. Some recycled-content sanitary tissue
products are softer, stronger, and more absorbent
than others. Consider your aesthetic and functional
requirements for tissue products before purchasing a
specific product.
• Remember to review your janitorial supply contracts
because commercial tissue products are often pur-
chased through contractors. Make sure your supply
contracts specify recycled-content, not virgin, prod-
ucts.
• When changing brands, consider other factors that
could influence your purchasing decision. When
switching from sheet to roll paper towels, for exam-
ple, you might incur costs to replace dispensers or
fixtures if such costs are not borne by the supplier.
Paperboard and packaging is a broad category of paper
products that includes corrugated containers, folding car-
tons, book and report covers, mailing tubes, video cas-
sette boxes, paper bags, and wrapping paper. They can be
manufactured with a wide variety of recovered fibers
including old newspapers, old corrugated containers,
mixed papers, and sorted white office paper. In fact,
paperboard mills use more recovered fiber than any other
segment of the paper industry.
When purchasing recycled-content paperboard and pack-
aging consider these tips:
• Remember, you can print on recycled boxes, not just
on virgin, bleached boxes.
• Be aware that you can use recycled boxes in food
applications and still meet Food and Drug
Administration requirements.
PAPER PRODUCTS
PAGE 6
-------
How Do I Get More Information?
T
Information Available
From EPA
his fact sheet and the following publications on
buying recycled-content products can be accessed
in electronic format on the Internet.
EPA Expands Comprehensive Procurement
Guideline (CPG). This fact sheet provides general
information about the CPG and the development of
affirmative procurement programs. See
.
Federal Register (FR) notices promulgating CPG I (60
FR 21370/EPA530-Z-95-006) and RMAN I (60 FR
21386/EPA530-Z-95-007), May 1, 1995, and Paper
Products RMAN I (60 FR 26986/EPA530-Z-96-005),
May 29, 1996. FR notices promulgating CPG II (62
FR 60961/EPA530-Z-97-009) and RMAN H (62 FR
60975/EPA530-Z-97-010), November 13, 1997, and
the Paper Products RMAN II (63 FR 31214), June 8,
1998. FR notices promulgating CPG III (65 FR 3070)
and RMAN III (65 FR 3082), January 19, 2000. FR
notices promulgating CPG IV (69 FR 24028) and
RMAN IV (69 FR 24039), April 30, 2004. See
.
Other Sources of
Information
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). GSA's
Environmental Products Guide contains more than
1,500 paper and paper products containing recovered
materials. To view an electronic version of the
guide, visit .
U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). GPO pro-
vides a variety of recycled-content printing papers to
federal agencies. To view federal government paper
specification standards see the GPO Web site at
------- |