How to choose a paper recycler.

Under a law that went into effect on June 5, all buildings in New York City must recycle vast quantities of waste-paper products or be hit with possibly onerous fines. Not only is waste-paper recycling an additional responsibility for landlords and building managers, but it is one that requires knowledge and experience for it to be undertaken smoothly, efficiently, and profitably.

If you have not hired a paper recycling company in the past, or if you simply handed over waste paper to a commercial cartage company, you never had to give it much thought. Those days are over, and the landlords and building managers who know and understand the paper recycling business can not only avoid fines, but they can make a profit on the recycling of paper from their buildings. And that can only add to the bottom line profitability of real property.

I have written this article not only to help you cut through a morass of often vague and confusing concepts about recycling, but also to help you make the process of selecting a paper recycler as simple and efficient as possible. I also want you to understand that if you are a smart recycler, you can significantly profit from the recycling of waste paper.

Under the new recycling law, known as Local Law 87, office buildings, stores, supermarkets, manufacturers and other commercial buildings must arrange for the following items to be recycled: corrugated cardboard (flattened boxes), high-grade office paper (white bond: letterhead, typing paper, copier stock, computer printout, etc.), magazines, catalogs, phone books, and newspapers.

Food or beverage service establishments must also separate corrugated cardboard in addition to metal, glass, plastic bottles, jars, cans, and aluminum foil products.

As part of the procedure, landlords and/or building managers must post signs describing how to recycle and/or provide labeled recycling containers.

While many buildings can mix all recyclable paper together for what's known as "mixed paper recycling," it is not the most efficient and profitable way of gathering recyclable paper. Instead, it is far more cost-effective to keep high-grade paper and corrugated cardboard separate from other kinds of paper. The sorted high-grade paper has a higher valuation and is worth more to you and to your recycler. While the price paid for high-grade paper will vary according to market conditions like any other commodity, it's value can serve to reduce your regular cartage costs. In fact, some buildings contribute so much high-grade paper for recycling that they qualify for the most modest fees for refuse removal.

It's obvious that a complete separation recycling program has a significantly greater cost-reduction potential than does mixed paper recycling, and every building owner and manager who wants to increase profits and reduce cost for refuse removal should opt for complete separation recycling.

Within a particular building, separated paper can be consolidated from specifically labelled bins in different offices and placed into appropriate containers by building custodians. If building custodians regularly collect trash, they can put high-grade recyclable paper into one container; mixed paper into a second container; regular mixed trash into a third container; and corrugated cardboard can be flattened, bundled, and tied. All but the mixed trash will be recycled; the mixed trash will be sent to a landfill.

So that your recycling program will run efficiently and at maximum profitability, it is wise to arrange for a waste assessment survey prior to the commencement of any recycling program. After all, if your recycler is going to pay you top dollar for your high grade waste paper, you and he must know the composition of your waste stream. In addition to determining likely quantities of high grade waste paper, corrugated cardboard and other types of paper, the survey will ascertain how much space you will require for storage, what size collection containers your building will require, and the price you may receive for your various grades of paper waste.

To be an educated consumer, you should ask recycling companies the following questions:

* Will materials be weighed on the truck?

* Will they sign a long-term contract guarantying regular service?

* Will they conduct a waste assessment survey?

* Will they offer collection bins and shredding services for confidential material?

* Will they, when necessary, shred sensitive documents right in your office building?

* Will they provide certificates of destruction?

* Will they provide references?

Any reputable recycler will answer yes to all of those questions.

Once you have made a commitment to recycling and the program is going to be successful, you must follow up on the initial waste paper recycling assessment with a clear list of priorities for building personnel. As I wrote earlier, building personnel must be trained to implement a recycling disposal program so that you can earn maximum profits for your waste paper, while maintaining fixed labor costs and reducing the costs of refuse removal.

Obviously, when dealing with a paper recycling company, you want to deal with one that has a history of unsurpassed service and experience.

(John Pasquale is president of Atlas Paper Stock Co., one of the oldest paper recycling companies in New York, with offices and recycling facilities at 585 Washington Street, New York, NY 10014.)