Setting standards for recovered paper

PaperChain, the UK trade group for improving procedures in the recycled paper market, has produced a set of requirements aimed at maximising the quality of the production process.

The Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 105, has been developed with the British Standards Institution (BSI) following several years of industry consultation. It sets out a framework for the municipal waste sector to access high quality materials while improving efficiency at every stage of the recycling process.

In order to be effective, the specification needed to take in to account the variety of collection schemes around the country as well numerous paper mill requirements.

Martin Green, chairman of PaperChain, is pleased that PAS has finally come together, but acknowledges that it is down to the market to ensure that it is put in to practice: '' Alone, the PAS does not change things; it is how it is interpreted and used by all the stakeholders that will determine its effectiveness in achieving the economic, environmental and carbon benefits of paper recycling.''