While grade lists exist for recovered paper, until now there has been no specific guidance over quality issues such as the baling of material and moisture content.
The two organisations involved are the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) and the European Recovered Paper Association (ERPA), both of which have support from the UK industry.
A statement from the pair said that the quality of recovered paper is key for paper mills but that quality control systems vary across Europe.
The organisations continued: “The guidelines aim to improve commercial relationships between paper mills and recovered paper plants, achieve greater harmonisation in recovered paper processes and improve the implementation of the European List of Standard Grades of Recovered Paper and Board.”
Martin Kleiweg de Zwaan, president of ERPA, said: “These guidelines illustrate the ongoing efforts of the European paper recycling industry to deliver high quality raw materials and the products with full respect to the environment. They are a major achievement in the context of the European Declaration which CEPI and ERPA signed on November 9, 2000.”
CEPI recycling official Bernard Lombard explained that some of the thinking behind the quality guidelines was an attempt to help boost relationships between mills and merchants. “We have the feeling that some commonly agreed methods will facilitate the relationship between the suppliers and the buyers of recovered paper. These guidelines applied to all kind of recovered paper.”
Caution
However, there is some caution within the UK recovered paper sector over the quality procedures. While the sector supports the development of the procedures, some merchants have told letsrecycle.com that they are anxious to ensure that the mills do not abuse the processes involved. One example given was that moisture content figures cannot always be resolved easily and that variations in bales do occur. “We need to ensure there is still a good relationship and understanding on both sides of what is a commercial transaction,” one merchant said.
For the UK industry, Peter Seggie, recovered paper sector manager at the Confederation of Paper Industries, said: “This guidance aims to harmonise relationships and provides the bones behind the EN643 grade system. It tackles baling, contraries in material and moisture. It is guidance in place for stakeholders, basically to reflect what we are doing now.”
Mr Seggie said that the quality guidance also helps tackle issues such as what paper can be recycled into material that may come into contact with food.
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