There are several waste or recovered paper guidelines, glossaries, or terminologies available, but comparing recovered paper grades is almost impossible because there is no universal or global terminological system for defining waste paper grades. The same term has different meanings depending on regions and, to make the matter worse, different terms have the same meaning depending on who is communicating with who and from which part of the world.
If waste paper buyers and suppliers do not use the same definition, then communication becomes difficult, and complications can arise. To make the situation somewhat better, we have attempted to compare the waste paper grades as defined by ISRI, CEPI, and ACOR. ISRI or Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries’ recovered paper guidelines are mostly followed in North America, while CEPI or Confederation of European Paper Industries’ guidelines are for the European markets. ACOR or Australian Council of Recycling’s waste paper guidelines are followed in Australia.
Corrugated Paper and Board Wastes
No corresponding grade
Corrugated Paper and Board Packaging
ISRI (3): Hard Mixed Paper
Prohibitive Materials:
Outthrows Plus Prohibitives:
High wet strength papers May not exceed 3%
Used paper and board packaging, containing a minimum of 70% of corrugated board, the rest being other packaging papers and boards
Consists of a mixture of various qualities of paper and paperboard that contains a high percentage of corrugated and folding carton boards with no limit as to other fiber content.
Ordinary Corrugated Paper and Board
Used paper and board packaging, containing a minimum of 70% of corrugated board, the rest being other paper and board products.
Double-Sorted Old Corrugated (DS OCC)
Corrugated Paper and Board
Premium OCC ISRI (12): Double Sorted Old Corrugated (DS OCC)
Grade 12 DS OCC (PS#12)
May not exceed 0.25%
May not exceed 3%, including the following materials:
Consists of double-sorted corrugated containers, generated from supermarkets and/or industrial or commercial facilities, having liners of test liner or kraft. Material has been specially sorted to be free of boxboard, off-shore corrugated, plastic, and wax.
Used paper and board packaging, containing a minimum of 80% of corrugated board, the rest being other paper and board products.
Sorted single and/ or double lined kraft cardboard Material has been specifically sorted to be free of boxboard, off- shore corrugated, plastic and wax.
Old Corrugated Containers (OCC)
Ordinary Corrugated Board
ISRI (11): Corrugated Containers (OCC)
Grade 11 OCC (PS#11)
May not exceed 5%, including the following materials:
Consists of corrugated containers having liners of either test liner or kraft.
Used boxes and sheets of corrugated board of various qualities, may include 10% of other packaging papers and boards
Consists of used corrugated cardboard boxes having liners of either test liner, or kraft. May include folding cartons, and similar boxboard products
Used boxes and sheets of corrugated board of various qualities, may include 5% of other packaging papers and boards.
ISRI (10): Magazines (OMG)
Grade 10 OMG (PS#10)
May not exceed 0.5%, including the following materials:
Consists of coated magazines, catalogues, and similar printed materials. May contain a small percentage of uncoated news-type paper.
Magazines with or without glue
Consists of sorted baled coated magazines, catalogues, and similar printed materials. May contain a small percentage of uncoated news- type paper as typically generated in this grade.
Unsold Magazines without Glue
Magazines without Glue
Magazines with Product Samples
Magazines, with or without glue, may contain non-paper components as attached product samples.
Mixed Newspapers and Magazines I
Sorted Residential Papers & News (SRPN)
Soft Mixed ISRI (1): Residential Mixed Paper
High wet strength papers and PLA- coated LPB May not exceed 5%
Consists of sorted newspapers, junk mail, magazines, printing and writing papers and other acceptable papers generated from residential programs (such as residential household and apartment collections and drop-off centers) sorted and processed at a recycling facility. Material should be free of containerboard and brown grades (OCC, Kraft bags, boxboard and Kraft carrier board).
Consists of a mixture of various qualities of paper that contains a high percentage of old newspapers and coloured advertising inserts with no limit as to other fiber content.
Mixed Newspapers and Magazines II
Newspapers and Magazines
Mixture of newspapers and magazines (predominantly unsold) each of them with a minimum of 30%.
Sorted Graphic Paper for Deinking
Mixed Magazines and Newspapers
A mixture of newspapers and magazines, containing a minimum of 60% of magazines, with or without glue.
Sorted graphic paper, consisting of a minimum of 80% newspapers and magazines. It must contain at least 30% newspapers and 40% magazines. Print products which are not suitable for deinking are limited to 1.5%.
Sorted Clean News (SCN)
Unsold Newspapers Not Intended for Deinking
News, De- inked Quality #8 ISRI (8): Special news, de- inked quality (#8 ONP)
Including insoluble adhesives and high strength material that May not exceed 0.25%
May not exceed 1% Other papers may not exceed 10%
Consists of sorted newspapers from source separated collection programs, converters, drop-off centers and paper drives containing the normal percentages of roto gravure, colored and coated sections. May contain inserts that would normally be included in the newspaper in the proper proportions. Grade must be free of excessive ink, brown grades and non-paper material. (Some mills may require pack to be free of flexographic inks.)
Unsold newspapers, which may contain inserts originally circulated with the publication. No additional inserts allowed. Paper products not suitable for deinking are allowed.
Sourced form-Printing houses, Publishers, Kerbside. Consists of baled, sorted, fresh newspapers, excluding sunburned. Should be free from papers other news and relatively free from magazines. Contains no more than the normal percentage of coloured advertising inserts, and domestic office and stationary papers as typically generated by newspaper press rooms and/ or from positive kerbside sorting processes.
Unsold Newspapers, No Flexographic Printing Allowed
Over-Issue News (OI or OIN)
Over Issue News #9 ISRI (9): Over Issue News (OI or OIN)
No prohibitive materials are permitted
No out throws are permitted
Consists of unused, overrun newspapers printed on newsprint, containing not more than the normal percentage of rotogravure and colored sections.
Unsold newspapers, which may contain inserts originally circulated with the publication. No additional inserts allowed.
Sourced from Printing houses, Publishers. Consists of unused overrun newspapers that was printed on newsprint, baled or securely tied in bundles. Contains no more than the normal percentage of coloured advertising inserts.
Sorted Office Paper (SOP)
Ordinary Sorted Office Paper
Office Pack #1 ISRI (37): Sorted Office Paper (SOP)
Grade 37 SOP (PS#37)
May not exceed 2%, including the following materials:
Consists of paper, as typically generated by offices, containing primarily white and colored groundwood-free paper, free of unbleached fiber. May include a small percentage of groundwood computer printout and facsimile paper.
Paper, as typically generated by offices, shredded or unshredded, printed, may contain coloured papers, with a minimum 60% woodfree paper, free of carbon and principally free from carbonless copy paper (CCP)/no carbon required (NCR), less than 10% unbleached fibres including manila envelopes and file covers, less than 5% newspapers and packaging.
Consists of more than 95% uncoated papers, as typically generated by offices and printers. Contains mainly white ground wood free ledger, bond, envelope, writing and other similar papers and <5% selected white- coated papers.
Paper, as typically generated by offices, shredded or unshredded, printed, may contain coloured papers, with a minimum 80% woodfree paper, free of carbon and principally free from carbonless copy paper (CCP)/no carbon required (NCR), less than 5% unbleached fibres including manila envelopes and file covers.
Ordinary Sorted Coloured Letters
Office Pack #2 ISRI (37): Sorted Coloured Ledger (SOP) with higher proportion of coated papers
Paper, as typically generated by offices, shredded or unshredded, lightly printed, mass coloured paper allowed, but no deep coloured papers, with a minimum of 70% woodfree paper, free of carbon and principally free of carbonless copy paper (CCP)/no carbon required (NCR), free of manila envelopes, file covers, newspapers and cardboard.
Consists of more than 70% uncoated and less than 30% coated papers, as typically generated by offices and printers. Contains mainly white and coloured ground wood free ledger, bond, envelope, writing and other similar papers.
Paper, as typically generated by offices, shredded or unshredded, lightly printed, mass coloured paper allowed, but no deep coloured papers, with a minimum of 90% woodfree paper, free of carbon and principally free of carbonless copy paper (ccp)/no carbon required (NCR), free of manila envelopes, file covers, newspapers and cardboard.
White Woodfree Books
Sorted White Ledger (SWL)
White Woodfree Bookquire
Sorted White ISRI: Sorted White Ledger (40)
Grade 40 SWL (PS#40)
May not exceed 0.25%, including the following materials:
Consists of uncoated, printed or unprinted sheets, shavings, guillotined books, and cuttings of white groundwood-free ledger, bond, writing, and other paper which has similar fiber and filler content.
Books or their shavings, without hard covers, mainly of white woodfree paper, mainly black printed, containing a maximum of 10% coated paper
Consists of uncoated printed or unprinted sheets, trim, guillotined books, and cuttings of white ground wood free ledger, bond, writing, and all other papers that have a similar fibre and filler content. Must be free from treated padded, heavily printed stock, and adhesives.
White Mechanical Pulp-Based Bookquire
Books or their shavings mainly of white mechanical pulp-based paper, without hard covers, mainly black printed, containing a maximum of 10%.
Carbonless Copy Paper
A blend of coloured and white letters, coloured woodfree magazines and other woodfree papers and shavings. Free from newsprint but 10% of other wood containing papers are permitted. May contain 2% paper with plastic layer.
Coloured Log End Tissue
Unused coloured tissue including soft cores. May contain printed material.
White Log End Tissue
Unused white tissue including soft cores. May contain printed material.
White woodfree lightly printed shavings with glue, free from paper coloured in the mass. May contain 2% paper with plastic layer and a maximum of 10% of mechanical pulp based paper.
Special Woodfree Binders
White woodfree lightly printed shavings with glue, free from paper coloured in the mass. Plastic layered and mechanical pulp-based papers not permitted.
White Woodfree Letters
Sorted uncoated white wood free printing and writing papers, printed, free from cash books, carbon paper and non-water-soluble adhesives. May contain 5% mechanical pulp-based paper.
White Woodfree Letters Unprinted
Sorted uncoated white woodfree printing and writing papers, unprinted, free from carbon paper, carbonless paper (NCR) and non-water-soluble adhesives.
White Woodfree Computer Print-Out
Groundwood Computer Printout (GW CPO)
Consists of groundwood papers which are used in forms manufactured for use in data processing machines. This grade may contain colored stripes and impact or nonimpact (e.g., laser) computer printing.
White woodfree computer print-out free form carbonless paper and glue.
Lightly printed woodfree coated papers in sheets or trim, free from wet-strength paper and from paper coloured in the mass.
Medium Printed Multi Printing
Medium and heavily printed woodfree coated papers in sheets or trim, free from wet-strength paper and from paper coloured in the mass.
White Heavily Printed Multiply Board
Lightly Printed Bleached Board Cuttings
Consists of groundwood-free printed bleached board cuttings, free from misprint sheets, cartons, wax, greaseproof lamination, metallic, and inks, adhesives or coatings that are insoluble.
New cuttings of heavily printed white multiply board, containing woodfree or wood containing plies, but without grey and brown plies.
Printed Bleached Board
Mixed White Heavily Printed Multiply Board
Consists of groundwood-free misprint sheets, cartons and cuttings of bleached board, free from wax, greaseproof lamination, metallic, and inks, adhesives or coatings that are insoluble.
New cuttings of heavily printed white multiply board, containing woodfree or wood containing plies, with a maximum of 20% grey and brown plies.
White Coated Woodfree Paper, without Glue
Publication Blanks (CPB)
White Coated Woodfree Paper
Consists of unprinted cuttings or sheets of white coated or filled groundwood content paper.
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree coated paper without glue.
White Blank News (WBN)
White Woodfree Papers
Grade 24 WBN (PS#24)
Consists of unprinted cuttings and sheets of white newsprint or other uncoated white groundwood paper of similar quality.
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree coated and uncoated papers without glue.
White Woodfree Shavings
Hard White Shavings (HWS)
Grade 30 HWS (PS#30)
Consists of shavings or sheets of unprinted, untreated white groundwood-free paper.
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree paper, may contain a maximum of 5% of coated paper. without glue.
White Woodfree Uncoated Shavings
Coated Soft White Shavings (SWS)
Grade 28 SWS (PS#28)
Consists of unprinted, coated, and uncoated shavings and sheets of white groundwood-free printing paper. May contain a small percentage of groundwood.
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree paper, free from coated paper. without glue.
Hard White Envelope Cuttings (HWEC)
White Envelope Cuttings
Grade 31 HWEC (PS#31)
Consists of groundwood-free cuttings, shavings, or sheets of unprinted, untreated, and uncoated white envelope paper.
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree paper, free from coated paper. May contain some glue.
Unprinted Tissue Coloured in the Mass
Unused unprinted tissue coloured in the mass free of packaging materials.
White Unprinted Tissue
Unused white unprinted tissue free from packaging materials.
Unused Corrugating Material
New Double-Lined Kraft Corrugated Cuttings (DLK)
Unused Corrugated Material
Corrugated Clippings
Grade 13 DLK (PS#13)
No Prohibitive Materials: are permitted
Consists of new corrugated cuttings having liners of either test liner or kraft. Treated medium or liners, insoluble adhesives, butt rolls, slabbed or hogged medium, are not acceptable in this grade.
Unused boxes, sheets and shavings of corrugated board, with liners of kraft or testliner.
Consists of new corrugated sheets and trim generated in the manufacture of corrugated cartons containing liners of either text liner or kraft.
Used Kraft Sacks with Poly-Coated Papers
Used Kraft Sacks with Polycoated Papers
Consists of brown kraft bags free of objectionable liners and original contents.
Clean used kraft sacks. Wet-strength and nonwet-strength. May include polycoated papers.
Unused Kraft Sacks with Polycoated Papers
Consists of printed or unprinted, unbleached new beverage carrier sheets and cuttings. May contain wet strength additives.
Unused kraft sacks. Wet-strength and non wet-strength, may include polycoated papers.
Mixed Recovered Paper and Board
Consists of all paper and paperboard of various qualities not limited to the type of fiber content, sorted and processed at a recycling facility.
A mixture of various paper grades that can be found in the groups 1 to 5.
Liquid Board Packaging
Aseptic Packaging and Gable-Top Cartons
Liquid Packaging Board
Liquid Paperboard ISRI (6- S): Polycoated Milk Carton Stock
May not exceed 0.25%.
Consists of liquid packaging board containers including empty, used, polyethylene (PE)-coated, printed one-side aseptic and gable-top cartons containing no less than 70% bleached chemical fiber and may contain up to 6% aluminum foil and 24% PE film.
Used liquid packaging board with plastic layer (with or without aluminum content), containing a minimum of 50% by weight of fibres and the balance being aluminum or coatings.
All liquid carton board as commonly found in used gable top milk cartons sorted from domestic kerbside collections at MRFs. All cartons may have a maximum of 10% mechanical fiber and total fiber content of not less than 50% as typically contained in aseptic cartons.
Unused Liquid Packaging Board
Printed or unprinted shavings or sheets of liquid packaging board (with or without aluminum and/or plastic layer), containing a minimum of 50% by weight of fibres.
Used wet labels from wet strength papers, containing a maximum of 1% glass content, and a maximum of 50% moisture, without other unusable materials.
Labels made from wet-strength papers.
Labels with Base Layer
Label paper, release paper and label stock as well as from converting and dispensing of labels.
Paper Release Liner for Self-adhesive Labels
Release liner materials from the converting and dispensing of self-adhesive labels. Materials shall be free from labels, cores, and other contaminants.
Unprinted White Wet- Strength Woodfree Papers
Coated Book Stock (CBS)
Unprinted White Wet-Strength Woodfree Papers
Grade 43 CBS (PS#43)
Consists of coated groundwood-free paper, printed or unprinted in sheets, shavings, guillotined books and cuttings. A reasonable percentage of paper containing fine groundwood may be included.
Unprinted white wet strength woodfree papers
Unprinted White and Coloured Wet-Strength Papers
Unprinted white and coloured in the mass wet-strength papers.
Printed White Wet-Strength Woodfree Papers
Coated Groundwood Sections (CGS)
Consists of printed, coated groundwood paper in sheets, sections, shavings or guillotined books. This grade may not include news quality groundwood paper.
Printed white wet-strength woodfree papers.
Printed White and Coloured Wet Strength Woodfree Papers
Printed white and coloured in the mass wet-strength woodfree papers.
Consists of paper cores made from either recycled paperboard and/or linerboard, single or multiple plies. Metal or plastic end caps, wood plugs, and textile residues are not acceptable in this grade.
Shredded, hogged or unshredded solid cores from paper reels without metal ends.
Carbonless Copy Paper (NCR)
Sheets or shavings of new carbonless copy paper (NCR).
Printed White Envelope
White envelopes, printed on the inside with or without water soluble or latex glue and windows (plastic or glassine).
New Colored Envelope Cuttings
Consists of groundwood-free cuttings, shavings, or sheets of untreated, uncoated bleachable colored envelope paper.
Mixed white or coloured in mass envelopes with or without water soluble or latex glue and windows (plastic or glassine).
Packaging board with flat or moulded plastic part. May be board with plastic layers and inserts.
Clean used kraft sacks. May be printed or unprinted or may be wet strength or non- wet-strength. May include plastic layer papers.
Used Kraft Sacks with Plastic Layer Papers
Clean used kraft sacks with plastic layer. May be printed or unprinted and may contain wet-strength or non-wet-strength plies.
Kraft Grocery Bag (KGB)
Consists of new brown kraft bag cuttings, sheets and misprint bags.
Unused kraft sacks. May be printed or unprinted and may be wet-strength or non-wet strength and may also include papers with a plastic layer.
New Kraft Multi-Wall Bag
Unused Kraft Sacks with Plastic Layer Papers and Poly Liners
Consists of new brown kraft multi-wall bag cuttings, sheets, and misprint bags, free of stitched papers.
Unused kraft sacks with plastic layer and poly liners. May be printed or unprinted and may contain wet-strength or non wet-strength plies.
#2 Printed Bleached Cup Stock (#2 Cup)
Used Paper Cups and Other Used Tableware
Grade 49 (#2 Cup) (PS#49)
Consists of printed, untreated formed cups, cup die cuts, and misprint sheets of coated or uncoated cup base stock. Glues must be water soluble. Must be free of wax, poly, and other coatings that are insoluble.
Used paper cups and other tableware, including used plastic layered paper cups and tableware, containing a minimum of 75% by weight of fibres.
#1 Bleached Cup Stock (#1 Cup)
Unused Paper Cups and Other Tableware
Consists of untreated cuttings or sheets of coated or uncoated cup base stock. Cuttings with slight bleed may be included. Must be free of wax, poly, and other coatings that are insoluble.
Printed or unprinted shavings or sheets from the production of paper cups and other tableware, including plastic layered paper cups and tableware, containing a minimum of 75% by weight of fibres.
ACOR (Australian Council of Recycling)
CEPI (Confideration of European Paper Industries)
ISRI (Institute of Scrape Recycling, Inc.)
Compiled by Umesh G.
Written by Sonal P.