Harmon Associates issues new grading structure

Recycling Today, August, 2005

The Harmon Associates Corp. subsidiary of Georgia-Pacific Corp. has announced revised recovered paper specifications and pricing that took effect on June 1.

The Jericho, N.Y.-based scrap paper broker says the new pricing structure will better reflect the quality of recycled fiber provided by recyclers based on how effective their sorting procedures are. "A number of suppliers invest significant capital and labor to consistently provide quality sorted and shredded waste paper," says Marc Forman, chief operating officer of Harmon Associates. "They deserve a fair market price for their efforts, and our buyers benefit because they can better manage their production process to effectively meet the end-users' expectations."

Forman announced the new grading specifications at the Paper Recycling Conference & Trade Show, which took place in Atlanta in late June. He says suppliers of unsorted shredded paper will still have a market for their products, but the price will "reflect the quality of recycled fiber they are providing in the marketplace."

Harmon Associates, which trades between 5 and 6 million tons of scrap paper annually, has defined its Office Pack 1 (OP1) grade as having 0.5 percent or less of various contaminants, including carbon paper, Post-Its, mailing labels and coated copy paper. Total contamination to achieve the OP1 grade cannot exceed 2.0 percent.

The company's Sorted Office Paper (SOP) grade cannot exceed 5.0 percent total contamination, defined as Post-Its, mailing labels, coated copy paper and groundwood/mechanical pulp fiber.

The Harmon Associates Post-Consumer Mixed Paper grade must be free of insoluble inks, coatings, and "excessive glues."