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State Newsprint Content Goals and Requirements

State Laws And Voluntary Commitments Regarding The Consumption Of Recycled Newsprint

States With VOLUNTARY Recycled Content Thresholds (13)

Colorado Louisiana New York
Hawaii Maine Ohio
Indiana Massachusetts South Dakota
Iowa New Hampshire Vermont
Virginia

States With MANDATED Recycled Content Thresholds (12)

Arizona Kentucky Oregon
California Maryland Rhode Island
Connecticut Missouri Texas
Illinois North Carolina Wisconsin
Washington, DC

Voluntary

Colorado

Adopted: 1993

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 15%
1993 17%
1994 19%
1995 22%
1996 25%
1998 30%

Calculations

Percentages refer to the aggregate amount in weight of recycled fiber used annually by newspapers and shall be calculated according to the total tonnage of newsprint used.

Definitions

Recycled newsprint is newsprint containing a certain percentage of recycled fiber.

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Member newspapers of the Colorado Press Association on a statewide aggregate.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

  • Short supply of recycled newsprint available to Colorado because of its distance from newspaper suppliers;
  • Strikes, plant closures, or other shutdowns at recycled newsprint manufacturing plants or transportation problems that limit the available supply of recycled newsprint;
  • Comparable price for recycled paper as compared to bona fide offers for sale by manufacturers of virgin newsprint; or
  • Availability of recycled content newsprint that is equal in opacity, brightness level and cross machine tear strength to available virgin newsprint.

Other

Colorado Press Association will submit an annual report by March 1 of each year on recycled fiber content use by member newspapers, which will include the aggregate tonnage of newsprint used during the previous year, the total tonnage of newsprint for the year, and the percentage for each member newspaper which uses more than 1,500 tons of newsprint each year.

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Voluntary

Hawaii

Adopted: 1993

Reporting Years — Percentages

The Hawaii Publishers Association resolved to utilize to the greatest extent possible, recycled content newsprint and publicize its usage of recycled newsprint content as a public service announcement annually.

Calculations

N/A

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Member newspapers of the Hawaii Publishers Association and some major magazine publishers.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

Availability of recycled newsprint is dependent on its manufacture by paper mills outside the state. Within reasonable costs as compared to virgin newsprint and within the same time frame, if the quality meets the mechanical and optical properties requirements.

Other

The Hawaii Publishers Association will submit a report outlining its recycling goals to the legislature not less than 20 days prior to the convening of the regular session.

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Voluntary

Indiana

Adopted: 1992

Reporting Years

Percentages

1993 11%
1996 23%
1998 31%
2000 40%

Calculations

Percentages refer to the aggregate amount in weight of recycled fiber a publisher uses annually.

Definitions

  • Newsprint is the paper of the type generally used in the publication of newspapers or similar publications. It is made primarily from mechanical wood pulp combined with some chemical wood pulp.
  • Postconsumer Material is material generated by an individual, a business or an institutional source that has served its use and has been collected for reuse or recycling. It does not include those materials and by-products generated from and commonly reused within an original manufacturing process.
  • Recycled paper is paper or paper products that contain at least 10% by weight postconsumer or post-manufacture material.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Recycled fiber is derived from recovered paper from all sources except the virgin component of mill broke.

Who Must Comply

Newspaper industry and other users of newsprint.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

Increasing the amount of recycled fiber in paper products to the limits of technical, economic and market feasibility.

Other

The Task Force recommends the establishment of an ongoing body charged with overseeing the successful implementation of the goals, objectives and recommendations.

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Voluntary

Iowa

Adopted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 10%
1995 20%
1998 30%
2000 40%

Calculations

N/A

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Member newspapers of the Iowa Newspaper Association.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

The availability of newsprint containing recycled fiber must be in sufficient quantities to meet the objective targets; at a quality level comparable to that of virgin newsprint; and at a cost level comparable to that of virgin newsprint.

Other

The Iowa Newspaper Association will make a periodic report to the Department of Natural Resources and the General Assembly to demonstrate the progress being made toward achieving these targets.

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Voluntary

Louisiana

Adopted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 10%
1995 20%
1997 30%
2000 40%

Calculations

N/A

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Newspaper industry throughout the state.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

If the quality of the paper is good and the cost remains reasonable.

Other

N/A

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Voluntary

Maine

Adopted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1993 25%
1995 40%

Calculations

N/A

Definitions

Recycled newsprint is newsprint with a preference of 40% postconsumer recycled fiber.

Type Of Fiber Specified

40% postconsumer recycled fiber.

Who Must Comply

Members of the Maine Daily Newspaper Publishers Association (MDNPA).

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

This undertaking assumes that sufficient quantities of recycled content newsprint will be available for purchase by Maine publishers at prices, including transportation costs, equivalent to newsprint made from virgin fiber; that the runability and printability will be reasonably comparable to virgin fiber; and that it will be available from suppliers whose production and delivery capacities have a reliability comparable to the present suppliers to the Maine Market.

Other

MDNPA agrees to make available to the Maine Waste Management Agency annual reports as to the quantities of recycled newsprint used by its members.

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Voluntary

Massachusetts

Revised in 1992

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 12%
1993 13%
1995 23%
1997 31%
2000 40%

Calculations

Annual recycled newsprint consumption is defined as: total tons of newsprint with X percentage of recycled content divided by total tons of newsprint.

Definitions

Recycled newsprint is newsprint made from printed waste paper generated by readers or resulting from newspaper printing operations.

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Members of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

Depending upon the availability and quality of such recycled newsprint at prices competitive with virgin fiber.

Other

Annual reports will be submitted by the association.

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Voluntary

New Hampshire

Adopted: 1991

Reporting Years

Percentages

1993 11%
1995 23%
1997 31%
2000 40%

Calculations

Percentages listed above are rates of consumption of recycled fiber (i.e. 11% of total annual newsprint consumption in 1993 should be recycled fiber).

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Members of the New Hampshire Daily Newspaper Publishers Association who signed the agreement.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

N/A

Other

Each signatory will submit an annual report to the New Hampshire Waste Management Division of the Department of Environmental Services.

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Voluntary

New York

Adopted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 11%
1996 23%
1998 31%
2000 40%

Calculations

Percent of publisher's annual fiber consumption represented by postconsumer industrial fiber.

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post-Industrial fiber is defined as fiber derived from the ONP and OMG generated by readers and the printed waste generated by newspaper press rooms.

Who Must Comply

Members of the New York Newspaper Publishers Association.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

Recycled newsprint which is available at a competitive price and quality.

Other

Annual report submitted by the New York Newspaper Publishers Association to the New York Department of Economic Development.

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Voluntary

Ohio

Adopted: 1992

Reporting Years

Percentages

1993 11%
1996 23%
1998 31%
2000 40%

Calculations

Percentage of recycled fiber in newsprint is based on total annual consumption. Percentages shall be calculated according to the total tonnage of newsprint used in the state.

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Members of the Ohio Newspaper Association.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

  • Compliance is dependent upon recycled newsprint being available to ONA member newspapers at a reasonable price and quality and in reasonable quantity.
  • The price shall be deemed reasonable if it does not exceed the average transaction price paid by the publisher for delivery in Ohio of virgin newsprint.
  • The quality of the recycled newsprint shall be deemed to be reasonable if the average printing opacity, brightness level and cross machine tear strength of the recycled-content newsprint is comparable to virgin newsprint sold in the state.

Other

Allows for creation of the Newsprint Recycling Task Force.

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Voluntary

South Dakota

Adopted: 1990

Reporting Years — Percentages

Reporting Years

Percentages

1995 23%

Calculations

The percentages listed above are from the results of a voluntary survey.

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

South Dakota Newspaper Association (SDNA) members agree to a goal of using increasing amounts of recycled newsprint.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

SDNA members agree to use increasing amounts of recycled newsprint as it becomes available and as it is comparable in quality and price.

Other

SDNA will submit an annual report to the state government and the legislature.

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Voluntary

Vermont

Adopted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 11%
1995 23%
1997 31%
2000 40%

Calculations

Percentage of annual fiber consumption represented by post-industrial fiber.

Definitions

  • Newsprint is defined as a groundwood product weighing between 22 and 35 lbs for a ream (500 sheets) 24 x 26 with less than 60 brightness.
  • Post-industrial fiber is defined as that which is derived from ONP and OMG generated by readers and the printed was generated by newspaper and newspaper printer's press rooms.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post-industrial fiber.

Who Must Comply

Individual members of the Vermont Newspaper Users Task Force.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

Increased use of recycled newsprint if it is available at a competitive price and quality.

Other

  • Annual report distributed to the Recycling Marketing Development Director, Department of Economic Development.
  • Annual report by the Secretary of Natural Resources to the legislative natural resources and energy committees.

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Voluntary

Virginia

Adopted: 1991

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 15%
1995 20%
1997 25%
2000 30%

Calculations

The percentages listed above are the percentages of newsprint used by Virginianewspapers that contain recycled newsprint.

Definitions

N/A

Type of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Members of the Virginia Press Association.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

N/A

Other

Each year the Virginia Press Association reports to the Commonwealth on the percentage of recycled content newsprint used by its members.

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Mandatory

Arizona

Statute: A.R.S. 49-834
Enacted: 1990; Amended: April 2000

Reporting Years

Percentages

1991 25%
1994 30%
1996 35%
1998 40%
2000 40%

Calculations

  • Percents listed above are percentages of all newsprint used by a consumer of newsprint and made from recycled-content newsprint.
  • The percentage of newsprint used which is made from recycled-content newsprint shall be calculated in tons used on an annual basis.

Definitions

  • Consumer of Newsprint means a person who uses newsprint in a commercial printing operation or in a commercial publishing operation.
  • Newsprint means uncoated paper, whether supercalendered or machine finished, including the type generally used for the publication of newspapers, commercial advertising inserts, directories or commercial advertising mailers, which is made primarily for mechanical wood pulps combined with some chemical wood pulp. Newsprint includes papers made from virgin pulp. Newsprint includes all grades of paper sold as newsprint, supercalendered (SC) uncoated ground wood or machine-finished (MF) uncoated groundwood.
  • Recycled-Content Newsprint means newsprint that contains post-consumer scrap paper.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Postconsumer material is defined as material discard generated by a business or residence that has fulfilled its useful life. Postconsumer material does include discard from industrial or manufacturing processes.

Who Must Comply

Mandated percentages apply to individual consumers of newsprint.

Penalties

Failure to knowingly supply false or misleading information will result in being subject to civil penalty of not more than $1,000.

Other

Newsprint consumers have to certify with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality every September 1 the number of tons of newsprint and recycled-content newsprint purchased the preceding fiscal year.

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Mandatory

California

Statute: California Code of Regulations —Title 4, Division 7, Chapter 4, §§17950-19974
Enacted: 1989

Reporting Years

Percentages

1991 25%
1994 30%
1996 35%
1998 40%
2000 and after 50%

Calculations

The percentage of newsprint used which is made from recycled-content newsprint shall be calculated in tons on an annual basis.

Definitions

  • Consumer of Newsprint means a person who uses newsprint in a commercial printing operation or in a commercial publishing operation.
  • Recycled Content Newsprint means newsprint in which not less than 40- percent of its fiber consists of postconsumer wastepaper.
  • Old Newspaper or Recovered Newspaper means any newsprint which is separated from other types of solid waste and made available for reuse in making new newsprint, and which meets quality standards for use as a raw material in the manufacture of a new paper product.
  • Post Consumer Waste Paper means a furnished material which would normally be disposed of as a solid waste, having completed its life cycle as a consumer item, including but not limited to, printing plant waste paper.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post-consumer waste paper.

Who Must Comply

Individual consumers of newsprint.

Penalties

Any person who does not comply with the statutory requirements for this program may be guilty of an infraction, and/or may be subject to civil penalties.

Conditional Exemptions

Recycled-content newsprint must be available within a reasonable time, comparable price and comparable quality to virgin newsprint.

Other

Annual reports submitted to the Department of Conservation by individual consumers of newsprint.

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Mandatory

Connecticut


Statute: CT General Statute §22a - 256m Enacted: 1990; Amended: 1995; Amended: 1998

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 11%
1993 16%
1994 20%
1995 23%
1996 23%
1997 31%
1998 40%
1999 45%
2000 50%

Calculations

Percentages listed above are percentages of recycled fiber contained in newsprint used by all publishers and printers.

Definitions

  • Newsprint means that class of kind of paper chiefly used for printing newspapers and weighing more than 24 1/2 pounds but less than 35 pounds for 500 sheets of paper two feet by three feet in size, on rolls which are not less than 13 inches wide and 28 inches in diameter and having a brightness of less than sixty.
  • Newsprint user means a person using or distributing more than 100 tons of newsprint annually in commercial printing or publishing operation.
  • Publisher means a newsprint user engaged in the business of publishing newspapers in the state.
  • Post consumer waste paper means discarded paper after it has served its intended end use as a consumer item.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Recycled fiber means fiber derived from postconsumer waste paper or waste paper resulting from printing operations.

Who Must Comply

All Connecticut publishers and newsprint users who use or distribute more than 100 tons of newsprint annually in commercial printing or publishing operations.

Penalties

If as a group publishers or newsprint users fail to meet percentages, individual publishers and newsprint users will be responsible for meeting the percentages. Individual publishers newsprint users who fail to meet the percentages shall pay a fine of $5.00 per ton based on the number of tons of recycled fiber representing the shortfall, provided that the fine shall not be less than $2,500 and not more than $100,000.

Conditional Exemptions

Publishers may be exempt if the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection determines that a newsprint user was unable to obtain sufficient amounts of newsprint containing recycled fiber at a price comparable to the price for virgin newsprint, that he was unable to obtain newsprint containing recycled fiber within a reasonable time or that he was unable to obtain newsprint which is runable.

Other

  • Annual reports will be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection by publishers and individual newsprint users.
  • Requires the DEP to adopt alternative recycling fiber standards if specifications are not achievable.

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Mandatory

Illinois

Statute: Illinois Compiled Statutes 415 ILCS 110  Enacted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1991 22%
1992 25%
1993 28%
1994 28%

Calculations

The percentages listed above are percentages of recycled fiber contained in newsprint.

Definitions

  • Consumer of Newsprint means the entity that publishes a newspaper exclusive of information that is solely of a commercial nature.
  • Old newspaper means any newsprint that is separated from other types of solid waste and made available for reuse in making new newsprint and that meets quality standards for use as a raw material in the manufacture of a new paper product.
  • Postconsumer Waste Paper means a finished material that normally would be disposed of as a solid waste, having completed its life cycle as a consumer item.

Type of Fiber Specified

Recycled fiber means fiber derived from postconsumer waste paper.

Who Must Comply

Individual consumers of newsprint.

Penalties

Provides for a fine of up to $1000 for any consumer of newsprint that knowingly violates the goals and reporting requirements.

Conditional Exemptions

Recycled content newsprint must be available within quality standards, sufficient quantities and at a comparable price to virgin newsprint.

Other

Each consumer of newsprint must submit annual reports by March 1 to the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.

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Mandatory

Kentucky

Statute: KRS 28.224 (43)
Enacted: 1994

Reporting Years — Percentages

Annually, each publisher in the state shall submit a report to the Cabinet that will indicate the amount of newsprint used in the proceeding year, its recycled content, along with any other information required by the Cabinet.

Calculations

N/A

Definitions

  • Newsprint means the class or kind of paper chiefly used for printing newspapers and weighing more than 24 and 1/2 pounds, but less than 35 pounds for five hundred sheets of paper two feet by three feet in size, on rolls that are not less than 13 inches wide and twenty-eight inches in diameter and having a brightness of less than 60.
  • Postconsumer waste paper means discarded paper after it has served its intended use by a publisher.
  • Recycled content means the proportion of fiber in newsprint that is derived from postconsumer waste paper.

Type Of Fiber Specified

N/A

Who Must Comply

Each publisher in the state.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

N/A

Other

The Governor shall appoint a Newsprint Recycling Task Force. The Task Force shall monitor the use of newsprint in the state, encourage all Kentucky industries to increase their use of recycled newsprint, promote the increased recovery of old newspapers, and report to the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources by October 1, 1995 on the availability and cost of adequate supplies of news print which contains recycled content of 50 percent or more or any other information or recommendations deemed appropriate.

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Mandatory

Maryland

Statute: MD Stat. Government Code Ann. §9-1707
Enacted: 1990; Amended: 1997

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 12%
1993 12%
1994 20%
1995 20%
1996 20%
1997 20%
1998 20%
1999 20%
2000 25%
2001 30%
2002 30%
2003 35%
2004 35%
2005 40%

Calculations

The percentage of recycled content newsprint used, shall be calculated by weight as a percent of the total newsprint used by the publisher during a calendar year.

Definitions

Newsprint means paper of the type generally used in the publication of newspapers or commercial advertising inserts, which are made primarily from mechanical woodpulps combined with some chemical woodpulps.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Newsprint includes paper made from old newspapers that have been deinked, using the recycled pulp in lieu of virgin pulp.

Who Must Comply

Publishers of newsprint distributed on a statewide basis.

Penalties

  • Pay the newsprint recycling fee for any calendar year of $10 for each ton of a publisher's recycled content deficiency.
  • A publisher's recycled content deficiency for a calendar year is the difference between: the product of multiplying the total tons of newsprint used by the publisher for the year times the required percentage for that year; and
  • The actual tonnage of recycled material contained in the newsprint used by the publisher for the year.

Conditional Exemptions

Newsprint made from recycled newspapers is of comparable price and quality to virgin.

Other

Creates a Newsprint Recycling Board.

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Mandatory

Missouri

Statute: Missouri Rev. Stat. §260.255.2; 10 CSR 80 - 10 et seq.
Enacted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1993 10%
1994 20%
1995 30%
1996-1999 40%
2000 50%

Calculations

The total number of tons of newsprint used and the average recycled content of that newsprint during the past calendar year are calculated together.

Definitions

  • Newsprint means uncoated paper of the type generally used for the publication of newspapers.
  • Recycled content is the proportion of fiber in a newspaper which is derived from postconsumer waste.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post consumer waste paper means the fiber derived from paper which has been recovered from or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream for the purpose of recycling.

Who Must Comply

Any newspaper publisher with an average daily distribution on days published during the previous year of more than 15,000 copies.

Penalties

For each day following notification until a waiver or certification is filed, the department may assess a civil penalty of not more than $100 per day for each day of the violation.

Conditional Exemptions

One or more of the following stipulations must be met: newsprint meeting the target recycled content goal was not available from at least 3 suppliers; newsprint meeting the target recycled content goal was unavailable at a cost not greater than the cost of newsprint made from virgin material purchased during the reporting period; or the newsprint meeting the targeted recycled content goal available to the newspaper publisher did not meet quality standards.

Other

Each newspaper publisher subjected to this rule must submit by March 1 of each year a Recycled Content Newsprint Usage Statement form certifying the total number of tons of newsprint used and the average recycled content of that newsprint during the past calendar year.

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Mandatory

North Carolina

Statute: North Carolina Gen. Stat. §105-102.6
Enacted: 1991; Amended: 1999

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 12%
1993 15%
1994 20%
1995 25%
1996 25%
1997 30%
1998 30%
1999-2004 35%
2005 and all subsequent calendar years 40%

Calculations

Recycled content percentage is the percentage by weight of the total net tonnage of newsprint consumed by the producer that is postconsumer waste paper.

Definitions

Postconsumer waste products are paper products, generated by a business or consumer, that have served their intended end uses and have been separated or diverted from solid waste.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Fiber recovered from manufacturing process and curbside collection.

Who Must Comply

Every person engaged in the business of publishing or printing publications printed on newsprint consumed by a producer.

Penalties

A tax must be paid on the amount reported at a rate of $15 per ton on shortfall.

Conditional Exemptions

A producer who's inability to obtain sufficient recycled content newsprint is not subjected to a tax as long as recycled content newsprint is not available at a price comparable to the price of virgin newsprint; recycled content newsprint of a quality comparable to virgin newsprint is not available; and recycled content newsprint is not available within a reasonable period of time during the reporting period.

Other

N/A

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Mandatory

Oregon

Statute: ORS 459.165
Enacted: 1991

Reporting Years — Percentages

1995

Calculations

At least 7.5% of the annual aggregate fiber content of all newsprint used by the consumer of newsprint is composed of postconsumer waste paper.

Definitions

  • Consumer of newsprint means a person who uses newsprint in a commercial of government printing or publishing operation.
  • Recycled-content newsprint means newsprint that includes postconsumer waste paper.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post consumer waste is a material that would normally be disposed of as a solid waste, having completed its life cycle as a consumer or manufacturing item.

Who Must Comply

Every consumer of newsprint in the state.

Penalties

N/A

Conditional Exemptions

Recycled-content newsprint must be available at the same or lower weighted net price compared to that of newsprint made from virgin material. The average mechanical and optical properties of recycled-content newsprint from any individual mill measured quarterly must meet the average mechanical and optical properties of all newsprint produced in the northwest. Also, the recycled-content newsprint is available within the same period of time as virgin material.

Other

  • No later than February 28, 1992, and annually by the same date thereafter, each consumer of newsprint shall report to the Department of Environmental Quality the following information for the previous year: (a) the amount of newsprint used in short tons; (b) the amount of recycled-content newsprint used in short tons; and (c) the aggregate recycled-content of the newsprint used as a percentage.
  • The Oregon Newsprint Recycling Task Force shall report annually to the appropriate legislative committee. Not later than January 1, 1997, the task force shall report whether recommended changes to the established goal of 7.5% of total content of newsprint consumed are appropriate.

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Mandatory

Rhode Island

Statute: RI Gen. Laws §23-18.16-1
Enacted: 1991

Reporting Years

Percentages

1993 11%
1996 22%
1998 31%
2001 40%

Calculations

The annual rate is the percentage of post-consumer material over total paper purchased by any person, from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

Definitions

N/A

Type Of Fiber Specified

The use of post-consumer material in the production of their product is required.

Who Must Comply

Any person publishing newspapers, magazines, journals, or printed newsletters.

Penalties

Subject to administrative

Penalties

As authorized by Chapter 17.6 if Title 42.

Conditional Exemptions

Upon showing that no acceptable equivalent is available and that imposing the requirements would cause an undue hardship.

Other

  • The state Department of Environmental Management is required to report annually to the Governor and to the General Assembly.
  • All publications will report on an annual basis their annual rate of purchase of postconsumer materials to the Department of Environmental Management.

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Mandatory

Texas

Statute: 31 TAC §§330.1200-330.1205
Enacted: 1991

Reporting Years — Percentages

Total Amount Purchased OR By Fiber Weight

1993-10%

1997-20%

2000-30%

 

1993-2.5%

1997-12%

2000-18%

Calculations

The aggregate post-consumer recycled content is determined by multiplying the percentage of postconsumer recovered fiber in each shipment by the percentage of total newsprint purchases that shipment represents.

Definitions

  • Post-consumer recycled content means the portion of manufactured newsprint that is comprised of postconsumer recovered material, usually expressed as a percentage of the total content.
  • Recycled newsprint means any newsprint certified by the manufacturer or supplier as containing at least 25% postconsumer recovered material, by fiber weight.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post-consumer recycled content.

Who Must Comply

Applies to all state newsprint manufacturers and newspaper publishers.

Penalties

The commission could adopt mandatory enforcement measures designed to further increase the amount of newsprint recycling in the state and to ensure that the statewide goals are achieved.

Conditional Exemptions

If a publisher is not able to obtain sufficient quantities of recycled newsprint or other newsprint containing certified minimum percentages of postconsumer recovered material, on a timely basis, at roughly the same net cost, and having satisfactory quality.

Other

Publishers must submit annual reports concerning the publishers' use of recycled newsprint to the commission.

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Mandatory

Wisconsin

Statute: WI State §159.31
Enacted: 1990; Amended: May, 1998

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 10%
1993 10%
1994 25%
1995 25%
1996 35%
1997 35%
1998 33%
1999 40%
2000 33%
2001 37%
2002 37%
2003 40%

Calculations

The recycling status is the target recycled content specified above minus the average of the recycled content of all newsprint used by that publisher to print the publisher's newspaper during the year.

Definitions

Recycled content means the proportion of fiber in a newspaper that is derived from postconsumer waste.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post-consumer waste.

Who Must Comply

Publishers of newspapers.

Penalties

The amount of the newspaper recycling fee imposed on a publisher for any year is 1% of the total cost of newsprint used to print the newspaper during the year multiplied by the recycling status. The recycling fee may be waived on an annual bases through December 31, 2000.

Conditional Exemptions

If a publisher is unable to obtain recycled newsprint in sufficient quantity, and if a publisher of a newspaper that has a circulation of less than 20,000 finds the compliance with the target recycled content requirements as a financial hardship.

Other

N/A

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Mandatory

Washington, DC

Statute: DC Code §8-208
Enacted: 1990

Reporting Years

Percentages

1992 12%
1993 12%
1994 and all subsequent calendar years 20%

Calculations

Recycled content requirement percentages for newsprint.

Definitions

Recycled content newsprint means newsprint contains minimum percentage of postconsumer recovered materials.

Type Of Fiber Specified

Post-consumer waste.

Who Must Comply

The content requirements apply on a District-wide aggregated basis for the newsprint users collectively.

Penalties

The penalty for non-compliance is $10 per ton for the amount of newsprint that falls below the requirements. The penalty applies only in the years that recycled newsprint requirements apply to individual users on a non-aggregated basis.

Conditional Exemptions

If an individual is unable to obtain a sufficient amount of paper or paper products for sale or distribution that contain the required percentage of recycled material at a competitive price.

Other

N/A

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