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Recycling Guidelines
The universal recycling symbol, often called the "three-chasing-arrows" or "Mobius loop," was first developed and used by recycled paperboard manufacturers, then adopted industry-wide to promote the recycled content of various paper products. The symbol is likely to convey that a paper or envelope is both recyclable and recycled. When using the recycled paper symbol, it indicates to consumer that the paper or envelope was manufactured using recycled fiber — either pre-consumer or post-consumer waste. This is considered less harmful to the environment because less virgin fiber is used, thereby reducing tree harvesting, water usage, energy consumption, emission of greenhouse gases and pollution.
Unless a product or package is both recycled and recyclable, a claim should make it clear whether the reference is to the product's recyclability or its recycled content. All claims must be truthful and require substantiation.
"Recycled content" claims on labels and in advertising may be made for materials that have been recovered or diverted from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (pre-consumer) or after consumer use (post-consumer). Claims should specify whether they refer to the product or the product's packaging. If the product or package does not consist of 100 percent recycled content (excluding minor, incidental components), qualifying words - like the percentage of recycled content in the product - must be used to limit the claim. Claims should indicate that the "paper fiber" is "recycled" unless the coating is too.
Qualifications or disclosures must be clear, prominent and understandable to prevent deception. The symbol and language should be in close proximity to each other and large enough for consumers to identify and read.
Recycling Guidelines
These are some guidelines for recycling different types of paper products. Please take them into account when recycling.
White Office Paper: One of the highest grades of paper is white office paper. Acceptable are clean white sheets from the likes of laser printers and copy machines. Colored, contaminated, or lower grade paper is not acceptable. The wrappers the paper comes in are of lower grade, and not acceptable. Staples are ok. White office paper may be downgraded, and recycled with mixed paper.
Corrugated Cardboard: In areas that do not take cardboard from consumers, one can often drop boxes off at a supermarket or other high volume business. Contaminated cardboard, like greasy pizza boxes, is not acceptable. In some areas cardboard must be free of tape, but staples are always OK.
Newspapers: Newspaper is widely available and of uniform consistency, which makes it valuable. The entire newspaper including inserts is acceptable. Additional items like plastic, product samples and rubber bands. Newspapers may be stuffed in large brown grocery sacks, or tied with natural-fiber twine. Other brown paper bags may be mixed with newspaper.
Phone books: Some phone books are made with a special glue that breaks down in water, while other phone books use a glue that interferes with recycling. Printed in each phone book should be information on the source and type of paper used, the nature of the binding, and where locally phone books can be recycled. Note that many phone companies continue to use virgin rain forests to produce directories. In many communities phone books are only accepted during the time new directories are distributed.
Waxed cartons (Milk, juice): Milk cartons are plastic laminated inside, even if they don't have a plastic spout. This makes them ineligible for paper recycling.
Mixed Paper: Mixed paper is a catch-all for types of paper not specifically mentioned above. Everything from magazines to packaging is acceptable. The paper must still be clean, dry, and free of food, most plastic, wax, and other contamination. Staples are acceptable.
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