Extending the limits of paper recycling - improvements along the paper value chain

  • A. Blanco Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
  • R. Miranda Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
  • M.C. Monte Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

Abstract

Aim of study: The purpose of this study is to analyze how paper recycling activities in Europe can be extended through different improvements along the paper value chain. The importance of this study lies in the identification of the present barriers in paper recycling and how they can be overcome.

Area of study: Europe.

Material and Methods: All the main stages along the paper value chain have been analyzed for possible improvements: collection of recovered paper (availability and quality), sorting of recovered paper, paper production, and printing and converting activities.

Main results: To increase paper recycling in Europe the following improvements are necessary. First, it is mandatory to increase the availability of recovered paper through more efficient collection systems (avoiding the use of commingled collection systems) and limiting the competition with energy purposes and the exports. Second, it is necessary to extend sorting activities, which can be achieved by reducing sorting costs by the use of automatized sorting systems. Third, there is a need to increase the recyclability of paper products by the commitment of printing and converting industries to use recycling-friendly printing inks and adhesives. Finally, environmental awareness of the citizens is still an important driver for increasing recycling activities, affecting not only recovery but to all the stages along the paper recycling chain.

Research highlights: Although the recycling rate in Europe is already very high (68.9%), there is still room to further extend paper recycling activities through different improvements along the paper value chain.

Keywords: paper recycling; sustainability; paper value chain; recovered paper; environmental awareness.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

A. Blanco, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Full Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering
R. Miranda, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering
M.C. Monte, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering

References

Blanco A, Negro C, Monte C, Fuente H, Tijero J. 2002. Overview of the two major deposit problems in recycling: slime and stickies. Part II: stickies problems in recycling. Prog.Pap.Recycl. 11, 26-37.

Blanco A, Negro C, Monte C, Fuente H, Tijero J. 2004. The challenges of sustainable papermaking. Environ. Sci. Technol.38, 414A-420A. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es040654y PMid:15575262

Bobu E, Ciolacu F. 2008. Evaluation of neutral deinking methods in processing different printed papers. Cellulose Chem. Technol. 42, 403-412.

Bobu E, Iosip A, Ciolacu F. 2010. Potential benefits of recovered paper sorting by advanced technology. Cellul. Chem. Technol. 44, 461-471.

CEPI. 2003a. The European paper industry on the road to sustainable development. Brussels (Belgium).

CEPI. 2003b. Summary of the study on non-collectable and non-recyclable paper products. Brussels (Belgium).The European Paper industry on the road to Sustainable Development.

CEPI. 2006. Special Recycling 2005 Statistics. Brussels (Belgium).

CEPI. 2011. 2010 Annual Recycling Statistics. Brussels (Belgium). European Comission. 2011. Communication on tackling the challenges in commodity markets and on raw materials, COM(2011) 25 Final.

Delagoutte T. 2005. Management and control of stickies. Prog.Pap.Recycl. 15, 31-41.

Delozier G, Deng Y. 2003. Enhanced flotation deinking of 100% flexographic ONP using surfactant spray technique in the presence of siloxane-based defoamer. Prog.Pap.Recycl. 13, 5-11.

Emerson D. 2004.Single stream vs. source separated recycling. BioCycle 45, 22-25.

ERPC (European Recovered Paper Council).2009. Assessment of Print Product Recyclability - Deinkability Score - User's Manual. Brussels (Belgium).

EPRC (European Recovered Paper Council).2011a. European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2011-2015. Brussels (Belgium).

ERPC (European Recovered Paper Council).2011b. Assessment of printed product recyclability. Scorecard for the removabiity of adhesive applications. Brussels (Belgium).

Faul A. 2005. Quality aspects of recovered paper for deinking. Prog.Pap.Recycl. 15, 6-10.

Faul A. 2010. Quality requirements in graphic paper recycling. Cellul. Chem. Technol. 44, 451-460.

Faul AM, Putz HJ. 2009. Scoring deinkability. Prog.Pap.Recycl.18, 17-22. .

Guo J, Severtson SJ, Kroll, SM. 2004. Role of paper face stock properties in determining removal efficiencies of pressure-sensitive adhesive films from recycling operations. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 43, 1443-1450. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ie034192t

Guo J, Severtson SJ, Gwin, LE. 2007. Optimizing the monomer composition of acrylic water-based pressure-sensitive adhesives to minimize their impact on recycling operations. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 46, 2753-2759. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ie061610w

Hamann L. 2009. Stickies: definition, origin and characterization. Proceedings of 9th CTP/PTS Advanced Training Course in Deinking Technology, Grenoble (France), June 3-5.

Hanecker E, Faul A. 2007. Changes in the quality characteristics of recycled fibre pulps. Das Papier 1-2, 54-56.

Hubbe MA, Rojas OJ, Venditti, RA. 2006. Control of tacky deposits on paper machines: a review. Nord. Pulp Pap. Res. J. 21, 154-171. http://dx.doi.org/10.3183/NPPRJ-2006-21-02-p154-171

Ibarra D, Monte MC, Blanco A, Martínez AT, Martínez MJ. 2012. Enzymatic deinking of secondary fibers: cellulolytic enzymes versus laccase-mediator system. J. Ind. Microbio. and Biotechnol. 39, 1-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10295-011-0991-y PMid:21643708

ITENE (Research and Technology Centre of Packaging, Transport and Logistics). 2012. Environmental impacts of freighting paper for recycling to China. Valencia (Spain).

Levlin J-E, Read B, Grossmann H, Hooimeijer A, Ervasti I, Lozo B, et al., 2010. The Future of Paper Recycling in Europe: Opportunities and Limitations. COST Office. Available at: http://www.cost-e48.net/thebook.htm

Miranda R, Bobu E, Grossmann H, Stawicki B, Blanco A. 2010. Factors influencing a higher use of recovered paper in the European paper industry. Cellul. Chem. Technol. 44, 419-430.

Miranda R, Blanco A. 2010. Environmental awareness and paper recycling. Cellul. Chem. Technol. 44, 431-449.

Miranda R, Monte MC, Blanco A. 2011. Impact of increased collection rates and the use of commingled collection systems on the quality of recovered paper. Part 1: Increased collection rates. Waste Manage. 31, 2208-2216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.06.006 PMid:21752622

Miranda R, Monte MC, Blanco A. 2013. Analysis of the quality of the recovered paper from commingled collection systems. Res. Cons. Recycl. 72, 60-66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2012.12.007

Monte MC, Fuente E, Blanco A, Negro, C. 2009. Waste management from pulp and paper production in the European Union. Waste Manage. 29, 293-308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2008.02.002 PMid:18406123

Nowak MJ, Severtson SJ, Wang XP, Kroll, MS. 2003. Properties controlling the impact of styrenic block copolymer based pressure-sensitive adhesives on paper recycling. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 42, 1681-1687. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ie0208974

Oldack RC, Gustafson FJ. 2005. Initiative to promote environmentally benign adhesives (IPEBA): solving a sticky issue. Prog. Pap. Recycl. 14, 6-8.

OJ. 2008. Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives. Official Journal of the European Union L 312 22/11/2008, pp. 3-30.

Putz HJ. 2007. Recyclability of paper and board products. Int. Papwirtsch.4, 37.

RISI. 2012. Outlook for Global Recovered Paper Markets (6th Edition).

Sacia WK, Simmons J. 2006. The effects of changing ONP quality on a newsprint mill. Tappi J.5, 13-17.

Sánchez A. 2009. Graphic paper recycling – markets and quality requirements. Proceedings of COST Action E48 The Limits of Paper Recycling – The Final Conference, Munich (Germany), May 6-7, paper 5.

Severtson SJ, Wang X, Kroll MS. 2002. Development of environmentally benign pressure-sensitive adhesive systems via modification of substrate properties. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 41, 5668-5675. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ie0204383

Venditti RA, Lucas BE, Jameel H. 2007.The effects of adhesive properties on the removal of pressure sensitive adhesive contaminants by pressure screens. Prog. Pap. Recycl. 16, 18-31.

Villanueva A, Eder P.2011. End-of-waste criteria for waste paper: technicalproposals. Final report. Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, European Commission, Seville (Spain).

Wagner J, Franke T, Schabel S. 2006. Automatic sorting of recovered paper: technical solutions and their limitations. Prog. Pap. Recycl. 16, 13-23.

White C. 2007. Quality matters: the mill buyers perspective. European Paper Recycling Conference, Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Oct. 3-5.

Yan Z, Deng Y. 2003. Water-soluble/dispersible cationic pressure-sensitive adhesives. I. Adhesives from solution polymerization. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 90, 1624-1630. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.12819

Published
2013-12-01
How to Cite
Blanco, A., Miranda, R., & Monte, M. (2013). Extending the limits of paper recycling - improvements along the paper value chain. Forest Systems, 22(3), 471-483. https://doi.org/10.5424/fs/2013223-03677
Section
Research Articles