The FDA regulates food-contact materials, including recycled paperboard, under its food additive and indirect additive framework. Recycled-fiber board must meet standards for contaminant levels to be used in direct food contact, and suppliers should provide compliance documentation. Importers sourcing recycled paperboard for food packaging should request FDA compliance letters or technical data sheets from their suppliers.

Linerboard and corrugating medium (together called containerboard) are engineered for stiffness and compression strength in corrugated box construction, while folding carton board (such as SBS or CRB) is optimized for printability, scoring, and folding. These distinctions drive separate HTS classifications and separate supply chains, so specifying the intended end-use application is essential when placing import orders.