Virtually all the paper produced in an office is recyclable, but some types are more valuable than others. Therefore, recyclers classify paper into various grades. The following are the most commonly recycled from offices. The definitions of these paper grades may vary from recycler to recycler so it is best to ask your recycler what type they accept.

• Computer Print-Out (High Grade): Colored-barred or blank sheets generated by laser or impact printers. No commercial forms or commercial inks.

• White Ledger (High Grade): Any non-glossy, printed or unprinted, white office paper such as letterhead stationary, typing, writing, or Xerox paper.

• Mixed Office Paper (Lower Grade): Unsorted office paper including white ledger, colored/non-glossy paper, envelopes, junk mail, note paper, tab cards, pamphlets, brochures, etc.

• Groundwood Computer Paper (Lower Grade): Computer paper with groundwood computer paper content. Identifiable by a dull, gritty appearance similar to a phonebook page.

• Corrugated Cardboard (Lower Grade): Corrugated cardboard boxes and packing cardboard.

• Newspaper, Magazines, Phone Books: These items can be recycled in the county but are not usually picked up by recyclers through an office paper recycling program. For information on recycling these items, call the Solid Waste District.

What's Not Recyclable?
There are a few types of paper that cannot be recycled in your paper recycling program. However, recyclers may allow a certain amount of these items before a load of paper is considered "contaminated" which can cause it to be downgraded in price or rejected. Your recycler will be able to tell you what, if any, percentage of the following items are allowable:

• Brown Kraft envelopes
• Pendaflex envelopes
• Blueprint paper
• Paper cups with food contamination

How Should I Separate My Paper for Recycling?
To make recycling easy and profitable, most companies recycle computer paper and mixed office paper separately. The reason to separate the paper this way is to get the best price for your paper without sacrificing program convenience. You will receive more money for high grades of paper like computer paper and white ledger if they are separated from lower grades like mixed office paper. These two grades include about 90% of the paper typically produced in an office.

Since every company is different, another method may work best for you. Some companies recycle all their paper together since they produce very little computer paper and don't want to worry about whether employees are separating the paper correctly. Other produce a lot of cardboard and decide to include this in their program. By conducting the waste audit on the next page, you will determine the types and amounts of paper produced by your company which will help you decide what to include in your recycling program.

Getting Started