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Coated Printing Paper (GS-10)

Second Edition, January 7, 1997
Copyright © 1994 Green Seal, Inc.

1. Scope
   This standard establishes environmental requirements for coated printing papers.

   1.1   Paper Excluded from the Scope of this Standard
   Specialty papers, such as thermal and carbonless carbon paper.

2. Definitions
   

   2.1   Coated Printing Paper: Any printing paper which has surface coatings added for the purpose of improving its appearance and printing surface.

   2.2   Coating: The layer of pigment and adhesives substances which has been applied to the surface of paper to create a new surface.

   2.3   Postconsumer material: Those finished products, packages or materials generated by a business or consumer that have served their intended end uses, and that have been recovered from or otherwise diverted from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling.

3. Product Specific Performance Requirements
   The product must be made in accordance with reasonable industry practice with respect to quality and performance.

4. Product Specific Environmental Requirements
   The product shall meet the requirements listed in Section 4.1 (Coating Composition and Heavy Metal Restrictions). In addition, the product shall meet either the requirements in Section 4.2 (Recycled Content Requirements) or those in Section 4.3 (Production Process Requirements).

   4.1   Coating Composition and Heavy Metal Restrictions.

   4.1.1   The manufacturer shall demonstrate that lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium are not used as ingredients in the coated printing paper.

   4.1.2   The coating shall not be formulated with free formaldehyde.

   4.2   Recycled Content Requirements.

   4.2.1   The fiber in coated printing paper shall contain a minimum of 10% postconsumer material.

   4.2.2   The percentage of postconsumer material shall be calculated and certified based on the fiber weight of the paper.

   4.2.3   The calculation of postconsumer content based on fiber weight shall be performed using the following formula based on dry weight of the material inputs.

   Postconsumer material:

                   (Postconsumer Material x Yield) /               
   [(Virgin Pulp x Yield) + (Other Fibrous Material x Yield.)]

   4.2.4   Yield loss will depend on the product manufactured, the raw material, the level of contaminants and the cleaning and de-inking technology employed. The percentage yield shall be calculated by dividing the total material output by the total material input.

   4.2.5   The percentage of postconsumer material shall be calculated based on a weighted average of the materials used for a period of time not to exceed the previous three months.

   4.3   Production Process Requirements

   4.3.1   If printed material is used to manufacture the product, it shall not be de-inked using a solvent containing chlorine

   4.3.2   Neither chlorine nor any of its derivatives (such as hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide) shall be used in the bleaching agent if bleaching is employed in the manufacture of the product.

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Appendix A: Labeling Requirements for Certification by Green Seal

Unless otherwise approved in writing by Green Seal the following labeling requirements shall apply.

1. The Green Seal Certification Mark shall appear on the package. It may also be printed, embossed or watermarked on the product by the product manufacturer. Wherever the Green Seal Certification Mark appears on a package, the package shall contain a description of the basis of certification. This description shall be in a location, style, and typeface that are easily readable by the consumers.

2. The Green Seal Certification Mark shall not be used in conjunction with any modifying terms, phrases or graphic images that might mislead consumers as to the extent or nature of certification.

3. If the product is being certified for meeting the requirements of section 4.2, wherever it appears the Green Seal Certification Mark shall be accompanied by the phrase,
   "Contains XX% postconsumer fiber and meets coating environmental requirements."

4. If the product is being certified for meeting the requirements of section 4.3, wherever it appears the Green Seal Certification Mark shall be accompanied by one of the following phrases [as appropriate]:

   The description shall read as follows for unbleached products:

   "Product manufactured without bleaching and meets coating environmental requirements. Recycled content may have originally been bleached."

   For whitened or bleached products, as applicable:

   "No chlorine bleach used to manufacture this product and product meets coating environmental requirements. Recycled content may have originally been bleached with chlorine."

   "Product bleached with oxygen and meets coating environmental requirements. Recycled content may have originally been bleached with chlorine."