Waste & Scrap of Paper or Paperboard — Unsorted and Other (NESOI)

Headings 470710, 470720, and 470730 each require that the recovered paper consist 'mainly' of a specific fiber type — unbleached kraft/corrugated, bleached chemical pulp, or mechanical pulp, respectively. Material that cannot be assigned to one of those dominant-fiber categories, or that has not been sorted to a recognized grade, falls into 470790. In practice, mixed-office waste, commingled curbside paper, and residual mill broke that blends fiber types are the most common commodities classified here.

At the federal level, no import permit is required for recovered paper traded as a commodity. However, EPA regulations distinguish between commodity-grade recovered paper and solid waste — shipments with high contamination levels may be scrutinized under RCRA solid-waste provisions. Importers should ensure bales meet a recognized grade specification (e.g., ISRI PS-1 mixed paper) and maintain documentation supporting commodity status to avoid regulatory complications at entry.