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Binders, Clipboards, File Folders, Clip Portfolios, and Presentation Folders
Binders, clipboards, file folders, clip portfolios, and presentation folders are commonly used office products made from a variety of materials. A loose-leaf binder contains split metal rings attached to a metal back that hold perforated sheets of paper. Chipboard, pressboard, plastic-covered chipboard or paperboard, cloth-covered chipboard or paperboard, and solid plastic binders can all be made with recovered materials. Clipboards, file folders, clip portfolios, and presentation folders can be made of solid plastic containing recovered materials.
- Recommended Recovered Materials Content Ranges
- Product Specifications
- Product Information
- Additional Links
Recommended Recovered Materials Content Ranges:
EPA's Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) recommends recycled-content levels for purchasing binders, clipboards, file folders, clip portfolios, and presentation folders as shown in the table below.
| Item | Material | Postconsumer Content (%) | Total Recovered Materials Content (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binders | Plastic-covered | -- | 25-50 |
| Paper-covered | 75-100 | 90-100 | |
| Pressboard | 20 | 50 | |
| Solid plastic | |||
| HDPE | 90 | 90 | |
| PE | 30-50 | 30-50 | |
| PET | 100 | 100 | |
| Misc. plastics | 80 | 80 | |
| Plastic clipboards | HDPE | 90 | 90 |
| PS | 50 | 50 | |
| Misc. plastics | 15 | 15-80 | |
| Plastic file folders | HDPE | 90 | 90 |
| Plastic clip portfolios | HDPE | 90 | 90 |
| Plastic presentation folders | HDPE | 90 | 90 |
¹EPA's recommendations do
not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing binders,
clipboards, file folders, clip portfolios, or presentation
folders made from another material. They simply require that
procuring agencies, when purchasing these items made from the
materials above, purchase them made from recovered materials
when these items meet applicable specifications and
performance requirements.
Product Specifications:
The US General Services Administration's (GSA's) specification for binders, A-A-2549A, covers four types of binders, including the following:
- Cloth bound, flexible cover
- Cloth bound, stiff cover
- Plastic bound, flexible cover
- Plastic bound, stiff cover
No specifications for solid plastic binders, clipboards, file folders, clip portfolios, and presentation folders have been identified.
Product Information:
Database
of Manufacturers and Suppliers
This database identifies manufacturers and suppliers
of binders, clipboards, file folders, clip portfolios, and
presentation folders containing recovered materials.
GSA Advantage!
Binders, clipboards, file folders, clip portfolios,
and presentation folders can be ordered through the General
Service Administration's (GSA's) online ordering system. In
addition, GSA publishes various supply catalogues, guides,
and schedules for recycled-content products available through
the Federal Supply Service.
Additional Links:
2007 Buy-Recycled Series: Nonpaper Office Products (PDF) (7 pp, 92K, About PDF)Technical Background Documents
Technical
Background Document (Solid plastic binders, clipboards, file
folders, clip portfolios, and presentation folders) (PDF) (215 pp, 381K, About PDF)
This background document includes EPA's product
research on recovered-content binders, clipboards, file
folders, clip portfolios, and presentation folders, as well
as a more detailed overview of the history and regulatory
requirements of the CPG process.
