4707.30.00.40 - Other

This HTS category, 4707.30.00.40, encompasses "Other" recovered paper and paperboard that is made mainly of mechanical pulp. This means it includes waste and scrap paper and paperboard where the primary pulping process used to create the original paper was mechanical, as opposed to chemical methods. Such materials often retain a higher proportion of lignin, contributing to their color and reduced strength compared to chemically produced paper.

The distinction between this category and its sibling, 4707.30.00.20 (Newsprint), is crucial. While both fall under paper or paperboard made mainly of mechanical pulp, this "Other" category is for recovered materials that do not meet the specific definition or standards for newsprint. Newsprint is a distinct grade with particular characteristics like lower basis weight and a tendency to yellow, often intended for high-volume printing. Materials classified here may share the mechanical pulp origin but differ in their composition, end-use, or other defining characteristics that exclude them from the specific "Newsprint" classification.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS, there are no further subdivisions. Therefore, classification within 4707.30.00.40 relies on identifying recovered paper or paperboard made predominantly from mechanical pulp that is not otherwise specified or classified under a more precise subheading. This often involves materials like mixed paper grades, some packaging scraps, or printed matter that does not fit the newsprint definition, after being separated and prepared for recycling.