Multigrade ─ what is it and what can you earn

This consists of a mixture of various papers per bale consisting of between 15 - 20% White Heavy Letter, 30% Wood Free Coloured Shavings, 25% Coloured Heavy Letter and a maximum of 15% Coloured Best Pams and 5% Coloured Continuous Stationery. May contain a maximum of 10% mechanical content. Material must be free from latex binders, self adhesive labels, wet strength poly-laminates, and other contraries. Overall the appearance should be bright and light.

Believe it or not, bright paper can stop a whole batch of paper from being recycled. The idea behind this one is simple, explains Dan Baril, recycling program manager at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "It's like the red-sock-in-the-white-load syndrome," he says. If you need to buy colored paper, avoid really rich colors, and opt for pastels. Paper mills can usually handle the lighter tones.