Different grades of fiber/paper that can be collected, baled and sold. The following grades will describe the paper that is being sought and the paper that would be considered a contaminate. Other material that contaminates all paper grades is: plastic, styrofoam, metals, waxed paper products. Contamination can give the mill the right to reject a load. Rejection means that material can be sent back to the point of origination and the freight cost will be borne by that facility.
OCC – Old Corrugated Cardboard – the majority of this material consists of brown single fluted boxes; appliance, computer, delivery boxes. Other acceptable materials are brown paper bags, feed sacks (no plastic lining and strings removed). Material that is not desirable but is acceptable in small quantities (5% of bale weight) is chipboard (i.e. cereal boxes), newspaper, or Asian cardboard. OCC may be kept outside if moved to market at least every 8 to 12 weeks.
ONP – Old Newspaper – is usually #8 news, this material is anything found in a Sunday newspaper only. (Newspapers are printed on paper called groundwood.) #6 news is also a grade that can be collected. #6 must have at least 70% news, the remaining 25% can be magazines, junk mail and office waste. ONP must be kept dry.
SWL – Sorted White Ledger – this material is post-consumer white paper only. No colors, no carbons, no contamination. SWL must be kept dry.
SOW – Sorted Office Waste – this material is a friendlier grade to collect, the basic rule of thumb is anything on a desk except magazine/catalogues or the daily paper is acceptable. This includes pastel colored paper, junk mail, window envelopes, NCR paper, file folders. Paperclips and staples are acceptable in small quantities. Schools should be encouraged to participate if a community decides to collect this material. The school should be told any material but art projects would be acceptable. Contamination in this grade results being downgraded to the following grade. SOW must be kept dry.
FS – File Stock – this is SOW with contamination greater than 2% of bale weight but not to exceed 10% of bale weight. (A bale from a vertical baler weighs approximately 1,000 pounds, 2% is 20 pounds, 10% is 100 pounds.) The material allowed in the 10% is groundwood, chipboard, photographs. The most probable cause for being classified as FS is groundwood which is usually because of newspapers, or draft quality computer paper. FS must be kept dry.
OMG – Old magazines – this material can be gathered in Gaylord boxes. Catalogues, magazines, phonebooks are acceptable for collection. OMG must be kept dry.
MIX- All of the above including chip board.
The above is an overview. Pricing on these materials fluctuates and is quoted monthly. Please call with questions.