In January 1999 UK paper mills and suppliers started to adopt the new European Standard grade list compiled by the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) which was used as the basis for the revision of the European Standard EN 643.
EN643 was subsequently drawn up in 2002 by CEPI and ERPA, the European Recovered Paper Association.
The EN643 Standard is to be revised and this process has been continuing since 2007. However, EN643 still continues as the basis of trade. There was much discussion in the UK in 2003 over the use of material collected on a commingled basis from households. By 2010 it appeared that most UK paper mills using material from the domestic stream were taking in some material from commingled collections.
For further advice on paper grades, readers are advised to contact either the Confederation of Paper Industries or the Recycling Association.
EN643
Group 1: Ordinary Grades
1.01 Mixed paper and board, unsorted, but unusable materials removed –
A mixture of various grades of paper and board, without restriction on short fibre
content.
1.02 Mixed papers and boards (sorted) –
A mixture of various qualities of paper and board, containing a maximum of 40% of newspapers and magazines.
1.03 Grey board –
Printed and unprinted white lined and unlined grey board or mixed board, free from corrugated material.
1.04 Supermarket corrugated paper and board –
Used paper and board packaging, containing a minimum of 70% of corrugated board, the
rest being solid board and wrapping papers.
1.05 Old corrugated containers
Used boxes and sheets of corrugated board of various qualities.
1.06 Unsold magazines
Unsold magazines, with or without glue.
1.06.01 Unsold magazines without glue
1.07 Telephone books
New and used telephone books, with unlimited content of pages coloured in the mass,
with and without glue. Shavings allowed.
1.08 Mixed newspapers and magazines 1
A mixture of newspapers and magazines, containing a minimum of 50% of newspapers,
with or without glue.
1.09 Mixed newspapers and magazines 2
A mixture of newspapers and magazines, containing a minimum of 60% of newspapers,
with or without glue.
1.10 Mixed magazines and newspapers
A mixture of newspapers and magazines, containing a minimum of 60% of magazines, with or without glue.
1.11 Sorted graphic paper for deinking
Sorted graphic paper from households, newspapers and magazines, each at a minimum
of 40%. The percentage of non-deinkable paper and board should be reduced over time to
a maximum level of 1.5%. The actual percentage is to be negotiated between buyer and seller.
Group 2: Medium Grades
2.01 Newspapers
Newspapers, containing a maximum of 5% of newspapers or advertisements coloured in
the mass.
2.02 Unsold newspapers
Unsold daily newspapers, free from additional inserts or illustrated material coloured in the mass.
2.02.01 Unsold newspapers, no flexo-graphic printing allowed
Unsold daily newspapers, free from additional inserts or illustrated material coloured in the
mass, strings allowed. No flexo-graphic printed material allowed.
2.03 Lightly printed white shavings
Lightly printed white shavings, mainly mechanical pulp-based paper.
2.03.01 Lightly printed white shavings without glue
Lightly printed white shavings, mainly mechanical pulp-based paper, without glue.
2.04 Heavily printed white shavings
Heavily printed white shavings, mainly mechanical pulp-based paper.
2.04.01 Heavily printed white shavings without glue
Heavily printed white shavings, mainly mechanical pulp-based paper, without glue.
2.05 Sorted office paper
Sorted office paper.
2.06 Coloured letters
Correspondence, in mixed papers coloured in the mass, with or without print, of printing
or writing paper. Free from carbon paper and hard covers.
2.07 White woodfree books
Books, including misprints of books, without hard covers, mainly of woodfree white paper, black printed only. Containing a maximum of 10% of coated paper.
2.08 Coloured woodfree magazines
Coated or uncoated magazines, white or coloured in the mass free from non-flexible covers, bindings, non-dispersible inks and adhesives, poster papers, labels or label
trim. May include heavily printed circulars and coloured in the mass shavings. Containing a maximum of 10% mechanical pulp-based papers.
2.09 Carbonless copy paper
Carbonless copy paper.
2.10 Bleached woodfree PE-coated board
Bleached woodfree PE-coated board from board manufacturers and converters.
2.11 Other PE-coated board
Other PE-coated board. May contain unbleached board and paper from board manufacturers and converters.
2.12 Mechanical pulp-based computer print-out
Continuous computer printout, mechanical pulp-based, sorted by colours, may include
recycled fibres.
Group 3: High Grades
3.01 Mixed lightly coloured printer shavings
Mixed shavings of printing and writing papers, lightly coloured in the mass, containing a minimum of 50% of woodfree paper.
3.02 Mixed lightly coloured woodfree printer shavings
Mixed shavings of printing and writing papers, lightly coloured in the mass, containing a minimum of 90% of woodfree paper.
3.03 Woodfree binders
White woodfree lightly printed shavings with glue, free from paper coloured in the mass.
May contain a maximum of 10% of mechanical pulp-based paper.
3.04 Tear white shavings
White woodfree lightly printed shavings without glue, free from wet-strength paper and
paper coloured in the mass.
3.05 White woodfree letters
Sorted white woodfree writing papers, originating from office records, free from cash books, carbon paper and non-water soluble adhesives.
3.06 White business forms
White woodfree printed business forms.
3.07 White woodfree computer print-out
White woodfree computer print-out, free from carbonless paper and glue.
3.08 Printed bleached sulphate board
Heavily printed sheets of bleached sulphate board, without glue, polycoated or
waxed materials.
3.09 Lightly printed bleached sulphate board
Lightly printed sheets of bleached sulphate board, without glue, polycoated or waxed
materials.
3.10 Multi printing
Woodfree, coated, lightly printed, free from wet-strength paper or paper coloured in
the mass.
3.11 White heavily printed multiply board
New cuttings of heavily printed white multiply board, containing woodfree, mechanical
or thermo-mechanical pulp plies, but without grey plies.
3.12 White lightly printed multiply board
New cuttings of lightly printed white mulitply board, containing woodfree, mechanical or
thermo-mechanical pulp plies, but without grey plies.
3.13 White unprinted multiply board
New cuttings of unprinted white multiply board, containing woodfree, mechanical or
thermo-mechanical pulp plies, but without grey plies.
3.14 White newsprint
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted newsprint, free from magazine paper.
3.15 White mechanical pulp-based coated and uncoated paper
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted coated and uncoated mechanical pulp-based paper.
3.15.01 White mechanical pulp-based paper containing coated paper
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted mechanical pulpbased coated paper.
3.16 White woodfree coated paper, without glue
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree coated paper, without glue.
3.17 White shavings
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted paper, free from newsprint and magazine paper
containing a minimum of 60% of woodfree paper; may contain a maximum of 10% of coated paper. Without glue.
3.18 White woodfree shavings
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree paper, may contain a maximum of 5% of
coated paper. Without glue.
3.18.01 White woodfree uncoated shavings
Shavings and sheets of white unprinted woodfree paper, free from coated paper. Without glue.
3.19 Unprinted bleached sulphate board
Unprinted sheets of bleached sulphate board, without glue, polycoated or waxed materials.
Group 4: Kraft Grades
4.01 New shavings of corrugated board
Shavings of corrugated board, with liners of kraft or testliner.
4.01.01 Unused corrugated kraft
Unused boxes, sheets and shavings of corrugated board, with kraft liners only, the fluting
made from chemical or thermochemical pulp.
4.01.02 Unused corrugated material
Unused boxes, sheets and shavings of corrugated board, with liners of kraft or testliner.
4.02 Used corrugated kraft 1
Used boxes of corrugated board, with kraft liners only, the fluting made from chemical or
thermo-chemical pulp.
4.03 Used corrugated kraft 2
Used boxes of corrugated board, with liners of kraft or testliners but having at least one liner made of kraft.
4.04 Used kraft sacks
Clean used kraft sacks. Wet-strength and non wet-strength.
4.04.01 Used kraft sacks with polycoated papers
Clean used kraft sacks. Wet-strength and non wet-strength. May include polycoated papers.
4.05 Unused kraft sacks
Unused kraft sacks. Wet-strength and non wet-strength.
4.05.01 Unused kraft sacks with polycoated papers
Unused kraft sacks. Wet-strength and non wet-strength, may include polycoated papers.
4.06 Used kraft
Used kraft paper and board of a natural or white shade.
4.07 New kraft
Shavings and other new kraft paper and board of a natural shade.
4.08 New carrier kraft New carrier kraft, may include wet-strength paper.
Group 5: Special Grades
5.01 Mixed recovered paper and board
Unsorted paper and board, separated at source.
5.02 Mixed packaging
A mixture of various qualities of used paper and board packaging, free from newspapers and magazines.
5.03 Liquid board packaging
Used liquid packaging board including used PE-coated liquid packaging board (with or
without aluminium content), containing a minimum of 50% by weight of fibres, and the
balance being aluminium or coatings.
5.04 Wrapper kraft
Poly-lined, sprayed, or laminated used kraft. Must not contain bitumen or wax coatings.
5.05 Wet labels
Used wet labels from wetstrength papers, containing a maximum of 1% glass content,
and a maximum of 50% moisture, without other unusable materials.
5.06 Unprinted white wet-strength woodfree papers
Unprinted white wet-strength woodfree papers.
5.07 Printed white wet-strength woodfree papers
Printed white wet-strength woodfree papers.
