Humidity

King County has elected to rent its nearly 600 copiers, using a WA state contract. We have found that the main variable involved in paper performance is humidity. We just moved our own offices from the administration building, which is 8 blocks away from Puget Sound, to another building, which is only 1 block from the water. It's unclear if the difference is due to proximity to water or idiosyncrasies of the building's HVAC system, but the humidity seems higher (I know, I could measure and record this, if I had a mind, but I don't...). Paper that ran fine in machines that ran fine now clumps and jams. In the end, it seems a matter of getting the techs to adjust the equipment for whatever paper we are running, and getting them to come re-adjust when there is a move. We not detected any greater number of troubles with recycled papers. hope you are well eric Eric Nelson (206) 263-4278

Use the right paper - use copier paper, not text, etc.

Require verification in writing from service techs that the problem is recycled paper

Use clauses disallowing service techs from blaming recycled paper

Eric Friedman - I should also say that, as part of the copier specifications, we have required our copier vendors to refrain from blaming recycled paper when jams occur since there are so many other reasons that this occurs (dust, moisture, lack of maintenance, etc.)

Don't open the paper until you're ready to use it

Specify that copiers must run recycled.