ASTM D5663-97(2003)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Validating Recycled Content in Packaging Paper and Paperboard
Standard Guide for Validating Recycled Content in Packaging Paper and Paperboard
ABSTRACT
This guide covers the standard for the calculation and the substantiation of recycled content of packaging papers and paperboard products. The mass balance approach shall be used to determine absolute recycled content. This guide also covers the recycled content that contain any amount or kind of recycled fiber. Methods to calculate and substantiate levels of such recycled fiber is also covered. Classes and types of paper and paperboard product include, but are not limited to, folding boxboard, set-up boxboard; linearboard and corrugating medium for use in corrugated containers; tubestock; carrier board, bag paper and other related packaging paper and paperboard products.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides an approach for both the calculation and the substantiation of recycled content of finished packaging paper and paperboard products. A mass balance approach is recommended for use by manufacturers since no physical or chemical test method is currently available to determine absolute recycled content of a finished paper product.
1.2 This guide covers (1) recycled content of packaging paper and paperboard products that contain any amount or kind of recycled fiber; and (2) methods to calculate and substantiate the level(s) of recycled fiber content claimed by an agreement between the buyer and the seller.
1.2.1 This guide may be used with or without modification to calculate or substantiate the recycled content of packaging paper and paperboard products when recovered nonfibrous materials (for example, filler) are a part of the recycled fiber furnish. Limited guidance is provided for appropriate modifications to this guide for the determination of amount of recycled nonfibrous materials in paper products.
1.3 This guide does not recommend either an amount or a kind of recycled fiber or material to use since (1) the amount and kind of recycled content in a packaging paper or paperboard product should be agreed upon between the buyer and the seller, and (2) the calculation and substantiation procedures recommended may be used for any amount or kind of recycled material agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.
1.4 The mass balance calculation method recommended by this guide may or may not comply with applicable federal, state, or local laws for recycled content statements intended to be received by consumers. Limited guidance on content statements is in Appendix X1.
1.5 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the test method portion, Section 10, of this guide: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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An American National Standard
Designation:D5663–97 (Reapproved 2003)
Standard Guide for
Validating Recycled Content in Packaging Paper and
Paperboard
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5663; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices
and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior
1.1 Thisguideprovidesanapproachforboththecalculation
to use.
and the substantiation of recycled content of finished packag-
ingpaperandpaperboardproducts.Amassbalanceapproachis
2. Referenced Documents
recommended for use by manufacturers since no physical or
2.1 ASTM Standards:
chemical test method is currently available to determine
D1968 Terminology Relating to Paper and Paper Products
absolute recycled content of a finished paper product.
1.2 This guide covers (1) recycled content of packaging
3. Terminology
paperandpaperboardproductsthatcontainanyamountorkind
3.1 Definitions—Definitions shall be in accordance with
of recycled fiber; and (2) methods to calculate and substantiate
Terminology D1968 and the Dictionary of Paper.
the level(s) of recycled fiber content claimed by an agreement
between the buyer and the seller.
4. Classification
1.2.1 This guide may be used with or without modification
4.1 The buyer and seller may agree to packaging paper and
to calculate or substantiate the recycled content of packaging
paperboard product classes and types of their choice, which
paper and paperboard products when recovered nonfibrous
may be from among the following classes and types:
materials (for example, filler) are a part of the recycled fiber
4.1.1 Classes include, but are not limited to, any of the
furnish. Limited guidance is provided for appropriate modifi-
following packaging paper and paperboard products: folding
cations to this guide for the determination of amount of
boxboard, set-up boxboard; linerboard and corrugating me-
recycled nonfibrous materials in paper products.
dium for use in corrugated containers; tubestock; carrier board,
1.3 This guide does not recommend either an amount or a
bag paper, and other related packaging paper and paperboard
kind of recycled fiber or material to use since (1) the amount
products.
and kind of recycled content in a packaging paper or paper-
4.1.2 Two types of products are included: those containing
board product should be agreed upon between the buyer and
no virgin fiber and those containing a mixture of recycled and
the seller, and (2) the calculation and substantiation procedures
virgin fiber.
recommended may be used for any amount or kind of recycled
material agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.
5. Ordering Information
1.4 The mass balance calculation method recommended by
5.1 The buyer and seller of packaging paper and paperboard
this guide may or may not comply with applicable federal,
products with recycled content should agree upon at least the
state, or local laws for recycled content statements intended to
following information:
be received by consumers. Limited guidance on content
5.1.1 Class(es) and type(s) of product(s) (see 4.1),
statements is in Appendix X1.
5.1.2 Percent of recycled fiber, by fiber dry weight, and, if
1.5 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the
appropriate, recycled material, by total dry weight, to be
test method portion, Section 10, of this guide: This standard
incorporated into a product (see 10.1 through 10.6),
does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any,
associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
ThisguideisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD10onPackagingand the ASTM website.
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.19 on Sustainability & Recycling. Withdrawn. The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced
Current edition approved April 10, 2003. Published August 1998. Originally on www.astm.org.
published as D5663 – 95. Last previous edition D5663 – 95. DOI: 10.1520/D5663- Available from the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, P.O.
97R03. Box 105113, Atlanta, GA 30348.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D5663–97 (2003)
5.1.3 Degree of variation in recycled fiber or material ments will be made.Aseparate sample should be submitted for
content allowable in shipped product (see 6.2), eachclassandtypeofpackagingpaperandpaperboardproduct
5.1.4 Time period during which recycled content is to be being bid on, along with supportive data and explanatory
calculated (see 10.1.1), information for each. Each sample should be clearly marked
5.1.5 Method of substantiation used to support the agreed- with the bidder’s name and address, bid number, and manu-
upon recycled content claim for the packaging paper or facturer’s name or code number.
paperboard product,
10. Measurement Procedure
5.1.6 Format and frequency of recycled content substantia-
tion and reporting, and
10.1 Recycled fiber content should be calculated as the ratio
5.1.7 Type and frequency of review by the buyer (see 12.1)
ofrecycledfiberweighttototalfiberweightinagivenquantity
of procedures and data used by the seller to monitor compli-
of packaging paper or paperboard product and expressed as a
ancewiththeagreed-uponrecycledcontentofproduct(s)under
percentage. The basic calculation method is as follows (see
contract.
Appendix X1 for an example):
RF 3 100
6. Composition U
RF ,% 5 (1)
C
VF 1 RF
U U
6.1 Recycled content of packaging paper and paperboard
products supplied in accordance with this guide should be
where:
agreed upon between the buyer and the seller (see 5.1). RF = recycled fiber content, %,
C
6.2 The average recycled content for a packaging paper or RF = recycled fiber used, and
U
VF = virgin fiber used.
paperboard product shipped from the seller to the buyer within
U
a specified time period (see 10.1.1 through 10.1.1.3) should be 10.1.1 The calculation of recycled content should be for a
fixedtimeperiodagreeduponbetweenthebuyerandtheseller.
at least equal to the contracted recycled content or be within a
10.1.1.1 It is recommended that a monthly or quarterly time
degree of variation (see 6.3) of that content.
period be used, as appropriate to the duration of the contract
6.3 The buyer and the seller may agree to a degree of
and production runs, for monitoring compliance of shipped
variation in the recycled content in shipped product from the
product with its claimed level of recycled content during the
seller to the buyer when multiple shipments will take place
term of the buyer-seller agreement.An alternative time period,
over the contract period; however, any degree of variation for
however,maybeagreeduponbetweenthebuyerandtheseller.
recycled content greater than 10 % is not recommended. In
10.1.1.2 When multiple products of varying recycled con-
addition, recycled content of a shipment of product that
tentaremanufacturedwithinaspecifiedtimeperiodonasingle
exceeds the degree of variation agreed upon by the buyer and
paper machine, then the recycled content for a specific product
the seller should be reported by the seller to the buyer in an
should be calculated based upon those time intervals within
agreed-upon manner.
that time period during which that specific product was
6.4 Recycled content of packaging products composed of
manufactured.
two or more components should be reported as the weighted
mean recycled content of the multiple components (see 10.2).
NOTE 1—For example, if a calculation of monthly recycled content in
6.5 All measures of recycled content should be on a dry
a paperboard product is needed, and that product is manufactured for 10
weight (0 % moisture) basis.
of the 30 days within that month on a specific paper machine, then only
the amount and kinds of various recycled and virgin materials used to
7. Physical Attributes
make that paper product on that paper machine during that 10-day period
should be used to calculate the recycled content for that product using Eq
7.1 Theaveragevalueofphysicalcharacteristics,workman-
1.
ship, dimensions, and appearance for any product should meet
10.1.1.3 When the same product of an agreed upon recycled
the requirements agreed upon by the buyer and the seller with
content is manufactured within a specified time period on
reference to appropriate ASTM or standards of other organi-
several paper machines, then the recycled content for that
zations.
specific product should be calculated based only upon those
8. General Attributes
intervals within that time period, for each paper machine used,
during which that specific product was manufactured. For
8.1 Acceptable defect levels and quality levels should be
agreed upon between the buyer and the seller. The use of example, if a calculation of monthly recycled content in a
paperboard product is needed, and that product is manufac-
recycled fiber or other recycled material should not restrict the
usefulness of the products covered under this guide, nor should tured for 10 of the 30 days within that month on one paper
machine and for 15 of the 30 days within that month on a
it cause a product to not meet all specified requirements agreed
upon between the buyer and the seller. second paper machine, then only the amount and kinds of
various recycled and virgin materials used to make that paper
9. Bid Samples
product during those 10 and 15-day periods on the respective
9.1 When requested, the bidder should submit a representa- paper machines should be used to calculate the recycled
tive product sample for examination purposes and data to content for that product by using Eq 1.
supporttheclaimedrecycledcontent.Anexplanationshouldbe 10.2 The recycled content for a composite packaging paper
included of the specific method(s) used to substantiate that or paperboard product composed of two or more components
content, with indication over what time period the measure- (for example, corrugating medium plus liner board) should be
D5663–97 (2003)
calculated as the weighted mean recycled content of each of its recycled fiber used in the paper product furnish. For example,
components, as follows (see Appendix X1 for an example): recovered old newsprint and used office writing paper may be
processed together to acquire a mixture of recycled fiber. The
~X !~P ! 1 ~X !~P ! 1 . 1 ~X !~P !
1 1 2 2 n n
5 recycled content, % (2)
yield of mixed recycled fiber should be used in Eq 1.
10.3.2 When the paper manufacturer uses recycled fiber
where:
processedbyarecycledpulpsupplier,thatpulpsuppliershould
n = number of components in the composite paper pack-
substantiate the amount of recycled fiber in its recycled pulp.
aging material,
This may be calculated using the amount of recycled fiber
th
X = weight of recycled material in the n component
n
obtained after processing that recovered material; that is, by
calculated using Eq 1, %, and
th accounting for the yield of recycled fiber from recovered paper
P = weight of the n component in a composite packag-
n
material in its process (as in Eq 3). The recycled-pulp suppli-
ing material, %.
er’s substantiated amount of recycled fiber content should be
10.2.1 An individual calculation of recycled content within
used to determine recycled content in a specified paper product
a given time period (see 10.1.1 through 10.1.1.3) for each
made from that fiber by the packaging paper or paperboard
component should be made and recorded.
manufacturer.
10.3 The amount of recycled material in a given quantity of
10.4 The amount of virgin fiber used in a given quantity of
paper product (that is, used in Eq 1) should be determined by
paper product (that is, used in Eq 1), if present, should be
the method in 10.3.1 or 10.3.2, as follows:
determined by the method in 10.4.1 or 10.4.2, as follows:
10.3.1 When the paper manufacturer processes non-virgin
10.4.1 When the paper manufacturer utilizes mill broke in
material into recycled fiber, then the recycled content of a
the manufacture of a paper product, then the virgin fiber
specific paper product made from that recycled fiber should be
content of that mill broke is determined by calculating the
calculated using the amount of recycled fiber obtained after
amount of virgin fiber obtained after processing that mill
processing that recovered material; that is, from the actual
broke; that is, from the actual yield of virgin fiber used in the
yield of recycled fiber used in the furnish. The amount of
papermaking furnish.The amount of virgin fiber obtained after
recycled fiber obtained after processing may be calculated by
processing may be calculated by multiplying the weight of the
multiplying the weight of the recovered paper material pro-
virgin fiber portion of mill broke processed by an appropriate
cessed by an appropriate yield factor for that material (relative
yield factor for that material (relative to virgin fiber) as
to recycled fiber) in that manufacturer’s specific process, as
follows: follows:
VF 5 VF 3 YF (4)
RF 5 NM 3 YF (3)
O MBP
O P
where: where:
VF = virgin fiber obtained,
RF = recycled fiber obtained,
O
O
NM = nonvirgin material processed, and VF = virgin fiber portion of mill broke processed, and
MBP
P
YF = yield factor. YF = yield factor.
10.3.1.1 If several types of recovered or recycled material 10.4.2 When the paper manufacturer uses virgin fiber pro-
are used in the manufacture of a recycled content packaging
cessedbyapulpsupplier,thatpulpsuppliershouldsubstantiate
paper or paperboard product, then the recycled content of that
theamountofvirginfiberinitspulpmaterialbyaccountingfor
specific paper product should be calculated by Method 1 or 2,
the yield of virgin fiber from whatever material source is used
as follows:
in its process (as in Eq 4). The pulp supplier’s substantiated
(1) Method for Processing Individually—For situations amount of virgin fiber content should be used in Eq 1.
where one, or more, of the several types of recovered materials
10.5 Yield factors (for Eq 3 or Eq 4) may be derived from
to be used are processed individually into their respective
one or more of the following records:
recycled fibers, the recycled content of the resultant paper
10.5.1 Periodic records of recovered paper material, vi
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