Policy
4:070-AP1 – Resource Conservation
Definitions
De-inked stock – Paper that has been processed to remove inks, clays, coatings, binders, and other contaminants.
High grade printing and writing papers – Includes offset-printing paper, duplicator paper, writing paper (stationery), tablet paper, office paper, note pads, xerographic paper, envelopes, form bond including computer paper and carbonless forms, book papers, bond papers, ledger paper, book stock, and cotton fiber papers.
Paper and paper products – High-grade printing and writing papers, tissue products, newsprint, unbleached packaging, and recycled paperboard.
Post-consumer material – Only those products generated by a business or consumer, that have served their intended end uses, and that have been separated or diverted from solid waste; wastes generated during the production of an end product are excluded. Post-consumer material includes:
- Paper, paperboard, and fibrous waste from retail stores, office buildings, homes and so forth, after the waste has passed through its end usage as a consumer item, including used corrugated boxes, old newspapers, mixed-waste paper, tabulating cards, and used cordage; and
- All paper, paperboard, and fibrous wastes that are diverted or separated from the municipal waste stream.
Recovered paper material – Paper waste generated after the completion of the paper making process, such as post-consumer material, envelope cuttings, bindery trimmings, printing waste, cutting and other converting waste, butt rolls, and mill wrappers, obsolete inventories, and rejected unused stock. “Recovered paper material,” however, does not include fibrous waste generated during the manufacturing process such as fibers recovered from waste water or trimmings of paper machine rolls (mill broke), or fibrous by-products of harvesting, extraction or woodcutting processes, or forest residues such as bark. Recovered paper material includes:
- Post-consumer material;
- Dry paper and paperboard waste generated after completion of the paper making process (that is, those manufacturing operations up to and including the cutting and trimming of the paper machine reel into smaller rolls or rough sheets), including envelope cuttings, bindery trimmings, and other paper and paperboard waste resulting from printing, cutting, forming and other converting operations, or from bag, box, and carton manufacturing, and butt rolls, mill wrappers, and rejected unused stock; and
- Finished paper and paperboard from obsolete inventories of paper and paperboard manufacturers, merchants, wholesalers, dealers, printers, converters or others.
Recycled paperboard – Includes paperboard products, folding cartons and pad backings.
Tissue products – Includes toilet tissue, paper towels, paper napkins, facial tissue, paper doilies, industrial wipers, paper bags, and brown papers.
Unbleached packaging – Includes corrugated and fiber storage boxes.
Procurement Procedures and Specifications for Products and Supplies
Procurement procedures and specifications for products and supplies shall be periodically reviewed to ensure that the District is: (a) purchasing products and supplies that are reusable, durable, or made from or contain recycled materials, if economically and practically feasible, and (b) giving preference to products and supplies containing the highest amount of recycled material and that are consistent with the effective use of the product or supply, if economically and practically feasible.
Recycled Paper and Paper Products Purchases
I. Whenever economically and practically feasible, recycled paper and paper products shall be purchased according to the following minimum percentages of the District’s total dollar value of paper and paper products:
Beginning July 1, 2008 10%
Beginning July 1, 2011 25%
Beginning July 1, 2014 50%
Beginning July 1, 2020 75%
Paper and paper products purchased from private sector vendors pursuant to printing contracts are exempted from this requirement.
II. Wherever economically and practically feasible, recycled paper and paper products shall contain post-consumer or recovered paper materials as follows:
- Recycled high grade printing and writing paper shall contain at least 50% recovered paper material and shall consist of the following percentages of de-inked stock or post-consumer material on the dates listed:
Beginning July 1, 2008 25%
Beginning July 1, 2010 30%
Beginning July 1, 2012 40%
Beginning July 1, 2014 50%
- Recycled tissue products shall contain at least 45% postconsumer material.
- Recycled newsprint shall contain at least 80% post-consumer material.
- Recycled unbleached packaging shall contain at least 55% post-consumer material.
- Recycled paperboard shall contain at least 95% post-consumer material.
These regulations do not apply to art materials, nor to any newspapers, magazines, textbooks, library books or other copyrighted publications that are purchased or used by the District or any school or attendance center within the District, or that are sold in any school supply store operated by or within any such school or attendance center.
Solid Waste Reduction
Before July 1, 2020, the District Operations Division will direct the efforts to achieve at least a 50% reduction in the amount of solid waste that the District generates.
Legal Reference(s):
Date Adopted: January 12, 2009
