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Northern Ireland’s environment regulator, the NIEA, is tasked with protecting and enhancing the region’s environment in a way that supports economic growth while benefiting human health and well-being. Like England’s Environment Agency (EA), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and Natural Resources Wales (NRW), its duties include ensuring compliance for the waste sector, enhancing biodiversity, and delivering a healthy freshwater environment.

However, the regulations for waste carriers in Northern Ireland differ in one important way.

Registering to collect and carry waste

Businesses intending to collect and carry waste in Northern Ireland need to register with the NIEA as a waste carrier. Businesses that also intend to collect and carry waste elsewhere in the UK need to register a second time with either the English, Scottish or Welsh agency, depending on where the business does most of its work. The difference is that businesses operating exclusively within Scotland, England and Wales (Great Britain) only have to register once.

NIEA sits within DAERA

Aside from waste carrier regulations, the NIEA also differs from the other UK regulators in that it sits squarely within Northern Irish government structures, albeit with some managerial independence and distinct executive functions. Formally speaking, the NIEA is an executive agency within the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). DAERA is a government department with its own minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, the devolved administration for Northern Ireland. SEPA, the EA and Natural Resources Wales differ from NIEA in that they are more like standard quangos, which is an informal name for organisations that work at arm’s length from government without being entirely independent.

Sponsors of SEPA, EA and Natural Resources Wales

The EA is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra). Defra works closely with all the devolved administrations and generally leads in international negotiations. Natural Resources Wales is a Welsh Government sponsored body. Meanwhile SEPA, which is sponsored by the Scottish Government, is an executive non-departmental body. SEPA’s board, chair and deputy chair are appointed by Scottish ministers, while the chief executive is appointed by the board.

Objectives of the NIEA

The NIEA’s stated objectives are to work towards a fully compliant regulated industry, deliver freshwater environment at ‘good status’, and tackle waste sector crime. It supports good habitat, earth science and landscape quality and seeks to enhance species abundance and diversity. It also promotes environmentally sustainable development, infrastructure and access to quality green and blue spaces.

Businesses that buy, sell and transport secondary raw materials use scrap trading software to manage processes such as inventory, invoicing and customer relationships. The software landscape is changing however and the $315b global recyclables trade is increasingly relying on more sophisticated network technologies to join up the international supply chain using live data and third party integrations.

A new generation of scrap trading software

Most legacy scrap trading software is focused on helping staff with back-office activities. Newer scrap trading technologies automate many of these tasks, minimising the scope for human error. Automating data entry protects the trader’s profit margins from the extra costs that arise from compliance errors and logistics failures. Smarter data management can also provide the trader with useful insights to manage risk better and improve their trading strategy.

Longer term, the gradual elimination of paper documents and processes in international trading should encourage the growth of secure trading networks where recyclables can be bought and sold between trusted partners along an electronic chain of custody. When this happens, traditional software is likely to be replaced by shared technology platforms that have more in common with regulated exchanges of the kind that have long been used for trading precious metals, for example.

What materials do scrap trading software handle?

Legacy scrap trading softwares tend to specialise in a defined category of materials such as waste plastic or scrap metal. Modern softwares can be fully customised to align with how the clients works and what commodities they are trading. The ability to handle pretty much any physical commodity that goes over a weighbridge, and to accommodate most of the processes that go with it, extends the market for scrap trading software beyond non-hazardous waste to agricultural products, for example, such as grains.

What are the features of AI-enabled scrap trading software?

Legacy software relies on human data entry, while modern software exchanges live data with third parties such as shipping lines via API technology. Modern commodity trading systems also use AI to read and manage invoicing, connecting directly to accounting software when required.

Older softwares don’t synchronise data. This means that changing a detail on an order, for example, can create inconsistencies elsewhere in the system, causing a variety of problems across compliance and accounting. Modern softwares avoid this by having all the data in one place, which can be updated with a single entry that updates across the whole system. This ensures more reliable information for reporting, and enables the automation of documentation.

Modern media management

Emailing photos is still a feature of many legacy softwares, whereas modern systems enable digital media management where large volumes of photos and videos can be easily exchanged, stored and searched based on their associated metadata. Older systems cannot be readily customised to suit the specific workflows and processes of individual businesses. Modern approaches ensure flexibility and the ability to handle digital innovations such as electronic bills of lading, which represent the future of physical commodity trading.

What are the benefits of scrap trading systems?

Modern commodity trading systems automate the repetitive tasks that AI does best, enabling people to focus on higher value tasks. They drive productivity, providing teams with powerful tools that enable businesses to scale without a corresponding rise in headcount. Storing all the data in one place gives traders the benefit of insights into how their suppliers and customers are performing. So if a supplier is consistently delivering underweight loads, for example, the system can flag this up, enabling the trader to adjust their calculations or address the issue directly.

Waste plastic is a tradable commodity that derives from the reuse of plastic materials and products. To qualify as waste plastic, materials need to be processed and assessed for quality, at which point they are assigned a grade. This enables certain grades of waste plastic to replace virgin plastic in the production of new goods, potentially reducing the use of natural resources.

Waste plastic is valuable

Many countries are adopting rules that mandate a minimum percentage of recycled material in consumer items like plastic bottles as part of their Net Zero commitments. This has created global demand for high quality waste plastic, leading to its so-called commoditisation as a secondary raw material. The EU, for example, is increasingly importing waste plastic to meet demand for recycled content. This move is proving controversial in the domestic recycling sector which fears lower profit margins due to price competition.

The global trade in recyclables

Although processing and transporting secondary raw materials such as waste plastic do cause carbon emissions, the United Nations sees the $315b international trade in recyclables as being on balance beneficial to reaching Net Zero goals. The trade in recyclables continues to grow faster than the global trade in commodities overall, registering 230% growth over the past 20 years according to a Chatham House report from 2022. Investment in modern recycling plants is also improving the overall quality and uniformity of waste plastic, encouraging its use by large brands and manufacturers.

Waste plastic vs. plastic waste

However, there is widespread confusion about the difference between ‘plastic waste’ which is discarded and ‘waste plastic’ the commodity that gives plastic waste a second life. Because the vast majority of plastic is still derived from hydrocarbons, and decades of poor waste management have led to contamination of both human and animal habitats, plastic waste is seen as a major environmental problem, with ample justification. Not all forms of plastic waste are easy or economic to recycle, so a high percentage of it continues to be disposed of via incineration and landfill, especially in low and middle income countries.

Plastic waste disposal is getting expensive

Many regulatory authorities have decided that the best way to incentivise plastic recycling, is to raise the cost of not recycling. Local governments for example impose taxes on landfill users to pay for waste collection services. This is in addition to the market costs of disposal. Landfill takes up valuable land resources and requires significant investment in compliance and monitoring. Incineration meanwhile requires expensive infrastructure and highly-trained staff.

Extended producer responsibility

National governments hungry for tax revenues and mindful of their Net Zero commitments are now targeting the producers of plastic, as well as those who dispose of it. The UK’s Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) regime, for example, follows the ‘polluter pays’ principle. This is where businesses that generate waste packaging have to make financial contributions to cover the cost of its disposal or recovery further down the line. The same principle is behind the UK’s extended producer responsibility scheme, scheduled to launch in 2025.

Benefits of waste plastic

Aside from government incentives and taxes, businesses are feeding more waste plastic into their manufacturing processes because it makes economic sense. Waste plastic supply chains are shorter and more resilient than those for virgin materials, and the recycled component of products tends to cost less. Many consumers also prefer to buy goods that have a recyclable component for sustainability reasons.

Research continues to focus on creating plastics that are biodegradable and can be produced without the use of hydrocarbons, which might eliminate the need for plastic recycling altogether one day. But until that happens, the world still needs plastics to preserve key consumables such as medicine and food, as well as many other applications. According to the United Nations, the trade in recycled materials plays a key role in limiting carbon emissions and growing the global circular economy.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator. SEPA is responsible for protecting Scotland’s environment and human health against risks such as flooding and the effects of waste disposal. It also works to ensure that natural resources are managed in a sustainable way.

SEPA and waste

Licensing and monitoring waste management facilities such as landfills and incinerators are the responsibility of SEPA. The agency also administers producer compliance schemes for materials such as waste packaging, and regulates the transfrontier shipment of wastes, such as exports of waste paper and plastic.

SEPA works to discourage illegal waste management activities that harm the environment and damage the business of legitimate operators who abide by the rules. Examples of illegal waste management activities tackled by SEPA include illegal landfill sites, unlicensed skip hire operators, large scale waste dumping, and the unlawful collection, storage and breaking of scrap cars. SEPA also partners with police forces and other agencies to tackle the unauthorised collection, storage and export of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

SEPA is participating in the UK-wide mandatory digital waste tracking (MDWT) scheme which is sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). MDWT aims to create a unified digital system to replace existing waste tracking processes that mostly rely on paper documentation. When it is launched in April 2025, MDWT promises to reveal more about where the UK’s waste ends up. There is a risk that the scheme gets delayed, however.

SEPA and water

SEPA is responsible for protecting, managing and improving Scotland’s water environment, and safeguarding biodiversity. SEPA leads river basin management planning (RBMP) in Scotland and is the country’s flood warning authority. SEPA works to monitor the water environment – including bathing waters – by assessing water quality and quantity.

SEPA and air

SEPA regulates and monitors emissions from a number of industrial activities that can cause air pollution. It advises local authorities on the location, design and layout of new infrastructure and building developments. SEPA also has reserve powers, subject to the approval of Scottish ministers, to take action where local authorities have made insufficient progress on improving local air quality under Section 85 of the Environment Act (1995).

SEPA’s other responsibilities

Aside from environmental regulation, SEPA has wider responsibilities that range from mitigating and adapting to climate change, monitoring and reporting on the state of the environment, raising awareness of environmental issues, engaging with the public through citizen science projects, and resolving environmental harms.

The Environment Agency (EA) is England’s environmental regulator. It is tasked with promoting sustainable development and protecting the environment from threats like pollution and flooding. It also works with businesses to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. For example, businesses that produce, transport and trade waste in England need to register with the EA, or in some cases apply for an environmental permit via the EA online service.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Natural Resources Wales (NRW), and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) perform similar functions to the EA in other parts of the UK.

Environment Agency powers

The EA has wide responsibilities over England’s water quality, water management, navigation and fishing. It also regulates air pollutants from large industrial processes, although air pollution deriving from transport is dealt with at the UK level. Land quality and waste management are the EA’s other major responsibilities, which are the focus of this article.

Land quality and waste management

The EA’s waste management responsibilities include the licensing of landfill sites, incineration facilities and recycling plants. It also regulates the movement of hazardous wastes such as harmful chemicals. Enforcing laws that protect the environment is another key part of the EA’s job. It has a range of civil sanctions at its disposal. Some breaches of the law may only receive a warning. Others can escalate to fines or, in serious cases, to prosecution and the initiation of criminal proceedings.

Waste carriers, brokers and dealers

Businesses need to register with the EA and pay a fee if they are ‘carriers’ that transport waste; ‘dealers’ that buy, sell or dispose of waste; or ‘brokers’ that arrange for others to buy, sell or dispose of waste. One exception to this rule are businesses that only transport waste they’ve produced themselves, in which case registration is free of charge. The details of all waste carriers, brokers and dealers appear on the public register and can be consulted online.

Applying for environmental permits

Businesses that use, recycle, treat, store or dispose of waste usually need to apply to the Environment Agency for an environmental permit, and pay a corresponding fee. The requirements for a permit depend on the waste activity. A ‘standard rules’ permit provides fixed rules for common activities. A bespoke permit meanwhile is tailored to the applicant’s business activities; it costs more and usually takes longer to obtain than a standard permit.

Before applying for a bespoke permit, businesses need to check that they meet the legal operator and competency requirements. They need to develop a management system and complete a risk assessment. They also need to design their facility to avoid and control emissions. It’s worth checking the technical guidance before applying as well.

Exempted activities need to register

For some activities that don’t require a permit, a regulatory position statement is needed. Even exempted activities need to be registered as exemptions. The EA also charges an annual subistence fee for the duration of an environmental permit. The size of the fee depends on the activity and type of permit.

Is the EA part of Defra?

The EA is sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), meaning that it receives some funding from government to supplement the income it derives from the issuance of licenses and permits. However it largely operates independently of government, with its own supervisory board, staff and budget.

Secondary raw material (SRM) is recycled waste that acts as a replacement for primary raw materials in the production of goods. Many secondary raw materials such as waste paper and waste plastic are tradeable commodities that play an important role in the circular economy by extending the lifecycle of natural resources and limiting carbon emissions. 

What are the main categories of SRM?

Secondary raw materials are usually classified as either metallic – such as recovered aluminium, zinc, iron, gold, silver and brass – or non-metallic. Examples of non-metallic secondary raw materials include waste paper, glass, natural and synthetic rubber, and certain plastics such as polyamide (nylon), PP-polypropylene, PVC, PE-polyethylene and PS-polystyrene. All SRMs undergo some sort of processing or quality assessment to ensure they are suitable for use within production processes.

Is secondary raw material the same as a by-product?

No. SRM should not be confused with by-product raw materials, which are generated in the production of primary raw materials and are re-used without being discarded first. Material that is not intended for disposal – such as a by-product – does not qualify as waste. Primary raw materials (PRM) are different from SRMs because they derive from an extraction process. In other words, they come directly from a natural source, such as a mine, whereas secondary raw materials derive from reuse of material.

What are secondary raw materials used for?

Semi-finished products such as shopping bags, insulation and kitchen foil often have secondary raw materials in them. Waste paper is usually a component of packaging and kitchen paper. Glass aggregate and rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) find their way into glass and plastic bottles. Recovered metals meanwhile can be reprocessed to make cans, electrical wires and structural parts for vehicles. The global trade in secondary raw materials is estimated to be worth over $315b a year, and is growing faster than the wider trade in physical commodities.

What are the benefits of secondary raw materials?

Using secondary raw materials instead of primary raw materials can increase security of supply for industry because SRMs are renewable and available from multiple sources that are often closer to home. This can reduce the risks associated with fragile global supply chains, especially when using CTRM software. Growing the SRM component in manufacturing processes also reduces the use of primary material and energy, which lowers costs and carbon emissions, along with other environmental impacts.

SRMs in products can provide a valuable differentiator in consumer markets. For example, buyers of fashion are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of the products they buy, and some are prepared to pay a premium for it, thereby increasing profit margins on what is already likely to be a cheaper input than virgin material.

Compliance is another benefit for businesses. Governments and regulatory authorities including the UK, E.U. and the U.S. State of California already mandate a minimum recycled component in certain plastic goods, or provide incentives to do so.

Hazardous waste that needs authorisation before it can be imported or exported is known as notifiable waste. In general it applies to all permitted waste shipments that are not classified as ‘green list’ waste, although there are exceptions.

Green list waste refers to non-hazardous waste destined for recovery. In these cases, notification controls do not apply. Instead, the UK requires a completed Annex VII document to accompany the shipment being exported, which includes Northern Ireland.

What qualifies as notifiable waste?

Qualifying as notifiable waste depends on whether the material is considered hazardous and/or harmful to the environment, whether it’s destined for recycling or disposal, and what country it’s being shipped to. The rules are complicated by a number of exceptions, so the UK government has a waste export control tool where traders can check the code and control for any waste that is due to be shipped.

In general, all transboundary shipments of hazardous waste that are destined for recovery qualify as notifiable waste. Non-hazardous waste shipments that are being moved for disposal also require notification, as do some shipments of non-hazardous wastes that are destined for non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. All shipments of plastic waste are subject to notification controls unless they are covered by exemptions that relate to uncontaminated shipments of segregated plastics.

Waste recovery and waste disposal

Whether waste is being moved for recovery or disposal can affect the controls that apply to a shipment. According to the EU Waste Framework Directive, waste recovery means ‘any operation the principal result of which is waste serving a useful purpose by replacing other materials which would otherwise have been used to fulfil a particular function’. In other words, recovery involves preserving resources through the use of waste instead of other raw materials.

Waste disposal meanwhile is defined as ‘any operation which is not recovery, even where the operation has as a secondary consequence the reclamation of substances or energy.’ In practice, these definitions are not always clear-cut, which has led to them being tested in court in England.

Hazardous and prohibited waste

In general, waste is classified as hazardous if it – or the material or substances it contains – is considered harmful to humans or the environment. Examples of waste classified as hazardous by the UK are asbestos, solvents, and chemicals such as brake fluid or print toner. Exporting hazardous waste for disposal is prohibited.

There are additional limits on the export of certain hazardous wastes intended for recovery as well. Hazardous waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) such as televisions and monitors with cathode ray tubes cannot be exported for recovery to countries outside the OECD. Household waste meanwhile cannot be exported even under notification controls and therefore must be disposed of in its country of origin.

International waste shipment (IWS) controls

International waste shipment (IWS) controls require consent for the movement of notifiable waste from both the country that is exporting the shipment, the country that is importing it, and any country where the waste is stored during transit. The rules and classifications governing waste may differ between jurisdictions. India, for example, classifies non-hazardous ‘green list’ waste paper as hazardous, requiring additional form 6 and form 9 transboundary movement documentation and a certificate of chemical analysis report.

Obtaining consent across the UK nations

In England, consent for the movement of notifiable waste can be obtained via IWS Online. In Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) needs to be contacted before the waste is moved. In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) is the point of contact. Shipping hazardous waste without the correct permissions is a criminal offence.

Businesses that buy, sell and move commodities use CTRM software to help back-office staff manage tasks such as logistics and compliance. Newer CTRM systems go a step further, using AI and live data to eliminate human error, automate processes, and provide traders with data-based risk warnings to guide their decision making and improve their profitability.

What does CTRM software include?

Most legacy CTRM software specialises in a single commodity types such as soft commodities (for example nuts and dried fruit), or secondary raw materials. They come with standardised processes that are mostly hard-wired into the system. Aside from the usual order management and reporting functionality, most legacy CTRMs integrate with accounting softwares, but lack the ability to manage live data or adopt AI. Enterprise-level CTRM may provide tools to manage currency hedges and futures contracts.

Newer, AI-enabled CTRMs can be customised to handle most commodities and processes. Some will use a single source of truth database to automate documentation and reporting. Others will use AI to read and manage invoices, and provide API technology to exchange live data with shipping lines and other third parties such as HMRC’s Customs Declaration Service, formerly CHIEF. Mobile apps for remote working, accurate cashflow forecasting, and a number of risk management tools can be offered. Next-gen CTRMs generally operate on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, providing small and medium sized businesses with greater access to advanced technology.

What risks can CTRM software manage?

International commodity trading is inherently risky. External shocks such as geopolitical events, extreme weather, currency fluctuations, and the price of oil often impact the final cost of a physical commodity shipment, especially soft commodities. Because these shocks are difficult or impossible to predict, a deal that looks profitable when a contract is signed might turn out to be loss-making by the time it completes, putting the trader’s capital and profit margin at risk.

Not all risks are out of a trader’s control, especially when they have access to high quality data. Despite this, many over-the-counter traders still rely on gut instinct to make risk management decisions. Without accurate data on the load performance of suppliers (which measures whether suppliers deliver on what they promise over time) or how many questionable quality claims an overseas customer makes in the hope of compensation, traders are at risk of making poor decisions. Some don’t even have organised hedging strategies to manage currency risk.

Who uses CTRM software?

Large energy and commodity traders used to be the main market for CTRM systems due to the expense of buying an enterprise license, and the amount of training and onboarding time required to master the complexity of legacy software. Smaller traders and merchants, meanwhile, muddled on with spreadsheets and standard enterprise software such as Microsoft 365. In fact, many still do. 

However this is changing, especially for traders of scrap tyres and waste plastic for example. In April 2025 the UK government is introducing mandatory digital waste tracking which will oblige waste businesses to update a unified digital database with the aim of getting a better picture of where waste comes from, and where it ends up. This is forcing smaller businesses to digitalise their operations. To encourage adoption by smaller players, modern SaaS CTRMs allow customers to pay monthly on a per user basis, enabling the service to grow at the same pace as the business. Modern CTRM systems also provide opt-outs for features that the customer may not need, saving them money.

What are the benefits of modern CTRM?

There are many benefits to using CTRM. Automation and AI transform back-office productivity, reducing staff costs. Live data feeds eliminate human error. Inspections apps and digital logistics hubs enable remote working. Performance monitoring improves vigilance and keeps both suppliers and customers honest. Hedging tools mitigate currency risk. Auto-updating margin calculators track order profitability, improving trading strategy. Automated reporting accelerates audits and commission calculation. Customisable processes enable customers to handle all kinds of documentation for their commodities, such as phytosanitary certificates for cocoa and coffee, and develop a system that suits the way they work. Advanced photo management eliminates the need for messy emails laden with attachments, and enables search to become fast and straightforward.

In a few years many of these tools will be considered standard, with the potential to create an international digital chain of custody.

Green list waste refers to materials such as scrap paper that are considered non-hazardous and can be exported for recycling with fewer checks than other forms of waste. In the UK, green list waste needs to be sorted and uncontaminated to the required standard, and accompanied by an Annex VII document. Traders also need to ensure that the waste shipment will be accepted by the destination country, whose rules may differ. 

What are Article 18 controls?

Green list requirements are sometimes referred to as Article 18 controls. This refers to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes. Almost all UN member states are parties to this legally binding treaty, including the UK. The United States is not a signatory.

Green list rules

Green list rules only apply to non-hazardous waste that is being shipped between Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries that have equivalent environmental standards to the EU and UK. Classifications of waste differ between these countries, however. India for example considers waste paper to be hazardous waste requiring special documentation such as form 6 and form 9 transboundary movement documents and a certificate of chemical analysis report. Italy, on the other hand, doesn’t classify scrap paper as waste at all.

Annex VII

UK exporters of green list waste need to complete an Annex VII document to satisfy domestic regulatory requirements. The Annex VII document accompanies the material being sent overseas. It records who has arranged the waste shipment, who is transporting it, and where it is going. It also describes what the waste is, citing the relevant identification codes. 

When the shipment arrives at its destination, the importer and the recovery facility (if the two are different) must sign and complete relevant sections in the Annex VII form. Copies of all Annex VII forms must be kept for 3 years, and the competent authorities can ask to inspect them at any time.

Pre-shipment submission for Scotland and Northern Ireland

For Scotland-based exporters, information contained in Annex VII forms is submitted to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) before the shipment gets moving. A similar pre-shipment submission requirement applies in Northern Ireland, which does not however apply in England and Wales.

Green list waste plastic

Waste plastic can only be shipped under green list controls if it meets the requirements of the Basel code B3011. It has to be a single polymer plastic, or the permitted mixture of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It needs to be almost free from contamination and other waste types, including other waste plastics. It also needs to be recycled according to R3. This entails recycling or reclaiming organic substances that are not used as solvents without harming the environment. All contractual and official documentation must be kept as evidence of compliance.

Notification controls

Waste that is not classified as green list falls under notification controls. In these cases the exporter must notify all competent authorities before the waste embarks, and receive their consent to proceed. Annex VII documents are not used for these shipment types.

European paper for recycling falls into 5 main categories: ordinary, medium and high grades, kraft grades, and special grades. Within these are over 60 sub-category grades. They are either pre-consumer paper waste that has been discarded from a paper mill, or post-consumer waste of the kind that is collected from households. 

What are waste paper grades for?

Waste paper grading provides guidance on the quality and composition of paper for recycling. Manufacturers have specifications for their paper and board products that cover fibre type, chemical ingredients and the percentage of recycled content. Their choice of graded waste paper for use as a secondary raw material in the manufacturing process is largely determined by these specifications.

No international standards for recovered paper

There is currently no global standard for waste paper grades. Several nations and trade blocs, including the United States and Australia, use their own grading categories and enforce different rules on contamination, for example. Some countries such as India classify scrap paper as hazardous waste, while others don’t classify it as waste at all (Italy). This creates uncertainty for international waste paper traders who need to ensure that the materials they ship – and the documentation that accompany the shipments – meet all the requirements of every country involved. Hence the growing popularity of commodity trading and risk management CTRM software.

How is waste paper assessed?

Paper mills and traders will typically assess the strength, quality and utility of paper for recycling before buying it. Grading is part of this assessment, but buyers also conduct site visits and visual inspections to establish the quality, level of contamination, and moisture content of what they are being sold. This includes seeing how the material is stored.

While some recovered papers can deliver high whiteness, smoothness, and runability (which indicates how easily it moves through a printing press), the length of paper fibre shortens every time it is reprocessed. This limits what it can be used for and the number of times it can be recycled (6 times is considered the maximum). Some types of paper such as tissues and laminated paper cannot be recovered, because they are bonded with materials unsuitable for recycling.

European standard grades for waste paper

The following paper grades are defined by European Standard EN 643 agreed by the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). The 2013 revisions introduced maximum tolerance levels for non-paper components (1.5% for most grades) and for unwanted materials. Grade descriptions were also amended to reflect the composition of the material rather than its origin.

According to these standards, natural fibre-based paper and board suitable for recycling is defined as: ‘paper and board in any shape or product made predominately from paper and board, which may include other constituents that cannot be removed by dry sorting, such as coatings, laminates and spiral bindings.’

Ordinary and medium grades

Ordinary grades tend to contain short fibres, including sub-categories such as mixed paper and board, grey board, mixed newspapers and magazines, corrugated paper and board, and sorted graphic paper for de-inking. Medium grades contain unsold newspapers free from inserts, printed white shavings, sorted office paper, coloured letters, white books, coloured magazines, and continuous computer print-out paper.

High and kraft grades

High grades are mainly white papers made from virgin fibres such as mixed lightly coloured printer shavings, binders, letters, white business forms, white computer print-out, printed multi-ply board, white shavings and unbleached board. Kraft grades derive mostly from brown unbleached packaging materials such as paper sacks and corrugated boxes. Their long and strong fibres are particularly suited for recycling into new packaging.

Special grades

Special grades tend to combine papers that are not considered profitable to sort. Special grades are often used in the middle layers of packaging papers and boards. Examples of special grades are mixed recovered paper and board, mixed packaging, wet-strength papers and labels.