Try to buy paper with the highest postconsumer content available. The U.S. EPA recommends minimum recycled content levels to look for when purchasing paper office products, as shown in the following table. In some cases, rather than specifying just one level of recycled content, ranges are offered that reflect actual market conditions.
|
ITEM |
NOTES |
POSTCONSUMER |
|
Printing and Writing Papers |
||
|
Reprographic |
Business papers such as bond, ink-jet and multi-purpose, electrostatic, copy, mimeo, duplicator and reproduction |
30 |
|
Offset |
Used for book publishing, commercial printing, direct mail, technical documents, and manuals |
30 |
|
Tablet |
Office paper such as note pads and notebooks |
30 |
|
Forms bond |
Bond type papers used for business forms such as continuous, cash register, sales book, unit sets, and computer printout, excluding carbonless |
30 |
|
Envelope |
Wove |
30 |
|
Cotton fiber |
High-quality papers used for stationery, invitations, currency, ledgers, maps, and other specialty items |
30 |
|
Text and cover |
Premium papers used for cover stock, books, and stationery and matching envelopes |
30 |
|
Supercalendered |
Groundwood paper used for advertisements and mail order inserts, catalogs, and some magazines |
10 |
|
Machine finished groundwood |
Groundwood paper used in magazines and catalogs |
10 |
|
Papeteries |
Used for invitations and greeting cards |
30 |
|
Check safety |
Used in the manufacture of commercial and government checks |
10 |
|
Coated |
Used for annual reports, posters, brochures, and magazines Have gloss, dull, or matte finishes |
10 |
|
Carbonless |
Used for multiple-impact copy forms |
30 |
|
File folders |
Manila or colored |
30 |
|
Dyed filing products |
Used for multicolored hanging folders and wallet files |
20 |
|
Index and card stock |
Used for index cards and postcards |
20 |
|
Pressboard |
High-strength paperboard used in binders and report covers |
20 |
|
Tags and tickets |
Used for toll and lottery tickets, licenses, and identification and tabulating cards |
20 |
|
Newsprint |
||
|
Newsprint |
Groundwood paper used in newspapers |
20-85 |
|
Paperboard and Packaging Products |
||
|
Corrugated containers (<300 psi) |
Used for packaging and shipping a variety of goods |
|
|
Solid fiber boxes |
Used for specialized packaging needs such as dynamite packaging and army ration |
40 |
|
Folding cartons |
Used to package a wide variety of foods, household products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, detergent, and hardware |
40-80 |
|
Industrial paperboard |
Used to create tubes, cores, cans, and drums |
45-100 |
|
Miscellaneous |
Includes “chipboard” pad backings, book covers, covered binders, mailing tubes, game boards, and puzzles |
75-100 |
|
Padded mailers |
Made from kraft paper that is usually brown but can be bleached white |
5-15 |
|
Carrierboard |
A type of folding carton designed for multitask beverage cartons |
10-15 |
|
Brown papers |
Used for bags and wrapping paper |
5-20 |
|
Miscellaneous Paper Products |
||
|
Tray liners |
Used to line food service trays |
50-75 |
When selecting paper, consider the highest postconsumer recycled content, at least meeting the EPA’s minimum recommended percentages. Adding Processed Chlorine Free (PCF), and Forest Stewardship Council-certified forest fibers or alternative “tree-free” fibers to paper with recycled content can provide an even more environmentally preferable paper. The most preferable choice will depend on what is available, affordable and needed.
Sample Specifications
You may not need to adjust your existing specifications at all, except to include the postconsumer recycled content standard. Brightness is being dropped from specifications because it is an aesthetic, not a functional, characteristic. If you must specify brightness, a minimum of 84 should satisfy your needs.
Opacity is more important than brightness today because double-sided copies must be legible. The following specifications are a good model to follow for copy paper:
|
ATTRIBUTE |
SPECIFICATION |
|
Grade: |
4 |
|
Recycled Content: |
30% postconsumer |
|
Basis Weight: |
20 lb. (or sub 20) |
|
Color: |
White or list colors |
|
Opacity: |
Minimum 85 |
|
Equipment Used: |
List what equipment is used |
For Additional information, visit Bids and Specifications used by the Alameda County General Services Agency. Examples include environmental criteria for postconsumer recycled content and disclosure of whitening technology for office paper, and use of recycled content paper and Alameda County Green Businesses for printing services.