What does a specification clause usually contain?
For baled cardboard, most US agreements point to a grade in the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA, formerly ISRI) Scrap Specifications Circular, usually OCC #11, the standard old corrugated containers grade. The clause then adds the buyer's own limits and packing rules. A typical clause covers:
- the grade name and the circular it comes from;
- a maximum for prohibitive materials and for outthrows, usually as a percentage of weight;
- a moisture limit (covered in its own clause, moisture);
- bale size, minimum and target bale weight, and how bales are tied;
- material that is refused outright, whatever the percentage.
What are prohibitives and outthrows?
The two terms come from the ReMA paper stock guidelines, which were reworded in 2021. Outthrows are papers that make a bale unsuitable for use as the grade specified: for OCC, things like boxboard or office paper mixed in with the corrugated. Prohibitive materials are anything, above the allowed amount, that makes the bale unusable as that grade, plus anything that could damage the mill's equipment: plastic, metal, wood, glass, waxed boxes.
One published mill specification, Kruger's OCC #11 sheet (2019), shows how this turns into numbers. It reserves the right to reject bales when prohibited materials exceed 1% or when outthrows, including prohibited materials, exceed 5%. It lists plastic, metal other than box staples, wood, wet-strength paper, newspaper, poly-coated board and waxed boxes as prohibited. It also asks for steel wire ties and refuses plastic banding, shrink wrap and pallets in the load. Your buyer's numbers may differ. That is the point: ask for them in writing.
Why does the specification matter for the money?
Because every downgrade, claim and rejection in the contract is measured against it. If the agreement says "OCC" with no tolerance, the buyer decides on the day what counts as contaminated. If it says "OCC #11 per the current ReMA circular, prohibitives not above 1%, outthrows not above 5%", you can check a claim against a number. Pair it with the contamination and rejection clause, which says what happens when a load misses the specification.
Sample wording
1.1 Material. Seller will sell and Buyer will buy baled old corrugated containers meeting grade OCC #11 as defined in the ReMA Scrap Specifications Circular in effect on the date of shipment ("Material").
1.2 Tolerances. Prohibitive materials shall not exceed [1]% and outthrows, including prohibitive materials, shall not exceed [5]% of the net weight of a load, determined under section [8].
1.3 Packing. Bales shall weigh not less than [___] lb, be tied with [steel wire], and be free of pallets, banding and shrink wrap.
What to negotiate
- Name the grade and the edition of the circular, so the definition cannot drift mid-term.
- Put the tolerances in the contract as percentages, measured on the load, not "as determined by Buyer".
- Ask for the buyer’s written mill specification as an exhibit, and for notice before it changes.
- Agree bale weight and tie method to match the baler you actually run.
Red flags in a draft
"Clean cardboard" or "acceptable quality" with no grade and no percentage.A specification the buyer can change by notice, with the price unchanged.A list of refused items that includes material your operation cannot avoid, such as a little tape or labels on boxes.
Questions
- What grade is ordinary baled cardboard?
- Usually OCC #11 (old corrugated containers) under the ReMA Scrap Specifications Circular. Some contracts use double-sorted OCC (#12) for cleaner, sorted material.
- Is a little tape or a few labels a problem?
- Normally not. Mill specifications target plastic film, wood, metal other than staples, waxed and coated board, and off-grade paper. Check the buyer’s list.