N.J. Admin. Code § 15:3-2.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 15:3-2.7 - Standards for paper for permanent records

(a) Statement of applicability. These standards shall apply to records of State or local government agencies that have been designated as permanent or archival records pursuant to P.L. 1953, c. 410 (47:3-15 et seq.) and to any volumes or papers used for recording permanent or archival records.

(b) Referenced standards. The standard for permanent records in paper form is intended to be used in conjunction with the following standards, which are incorporated herein by reference. When these standards are superseded by a revision, approved by the promulgating organization, the revision shall apply. Identification of the issuing agency and contact information to obtain a copy of these standards can be found in 15:3-4.2.

1. American National Standards Institute and National Information Standards Organization, ANSI/NISO Z339.48-1992 (R2002), Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives;

2. American Society for Testing Materials, ASTM D3290-00 (2005), Standard Specifications for Bond and Ledger Papers for Permanent Records; and

3. American Society for Testing Materials, ASTM D3208-00 (2005), Standard Specifications for Manifold Papers for Permanent Records.

(c) Definitions. The following words and phrases, as used in this section, shall have the same standard meaning as established by the American Society for Testing Materials in ASTM D1968-02a, Standard Terminology Relating to Paper and Paper Products, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented, except as otherwise defined in State statutes or rules, including:

"Alkaline reserve" means the presence of a compound (e.g. calcium carbonate) put in paper at a level sufficient to neutralize acid that might, in the future, be generated from aging of the paper or from atmospheric pollution.

"Groundwood" means pulp produced by mechanically defibering wood without chemical cooking; such pulp contains many substances deleterious to the permanence of paper.

"pH" means the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion activity in an aqueous solution or the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion activity. Numerically expressed, pH 7 is neutral, lower numbers are acidic. Higher numbers are alkaline. The concentration of the free hydrogen ions is expressed as an exponent, so the pH 4 is 10 times more acidic than pH 5 and 100 times more acidic than pH 6.

"Permanence," for the purpose of this standard when referring to paper, means paper that will last at least several hundred years without significant deterioration under normal use and storage conditions.

"Uncoated," for the purpose of this standard when referring to paper, means paper that is composed of fiber plus fillers, sizing, dyes, etc., but with no surface coating in excess of 2.5 pounds per side for every 500 sheets measuring 25 inches by 38 inches.

(d) Minimum requirements -- uncoated permanent paper. In addition to the standards in (b) above, uncoated permanent paper shall meet all of the following minimum requirements:

1. pH. Minimum pH of 7.5 in accordance with the cold extraction method described in Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, T 509om-83, Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH) of Paper Extracts -- Cold Extraction Method;

2. Alkaline reserve. Minimum alkaline reserve equivalent to two percent calcium carbonate based on oven dry weight of the paper;

3. Paper stock. The paper shall include no groundwood or unbleached pulp; and

4. Paper weight. Minimum paper weight of 24 pound is required of records being held or reproduced in book form for permanent retention or use in a State or local government agency.

N.J. Admin. Code § 15:3-2.7

New Rule, R.2006 d.446, effective 12/18/2006.
See: 38 N.J.R. 3495(a), 38 N.J.R. 5403(a).
Amended by R.2007 d.363, effective 11/19/2007.
See: 39 N.J.R. 3487(a), 39 N.J.R. 4938(a).
In the introductory paragraph of (b), substituted "permanent records in paper form" for "paper form permanent records", "Identification of the" for "The", and "contact information" for "how"; rewrote (b)1 through (b)3; deleted (b)4; and in (c), substituted "by the American Society for Testing Materials in ASTM D1968-02a," for "ASTMD1968-02a", deleted quotation mark preceding "Standard Terminology", substituted a comma for the quotation mark following "Paper Products" and inserted "or rules".