Fibre Raw Material Technology for Sustainable Paper and Board Production

Due to the growing demand for paper and board the use of fibres has increased rapidly during the last 20 years, including an increase in the amount of recovered fibres. Technologies for processing recovered fibres have received significant innovations and optimisations during the last decades, which has lead to the possibility of processing even lower quality recovered fibres into still higher quality products. However, continuously more fibre degradation due to fibre damage, mixing of paper qualities, and addition of fillers and paper additives occurs. Paper production from recovered fibres therefore requires special processes to deal with lower quality fibre raw materials.

More fundamental knowledge is required about fibre and pulp changes during fibre processing and subsequent paper production processes. This knowledge should be used for the development of new technologies to prevent fibre degradation and to restore degraded fibres.

The general aim of this project was the development of new innovative technologies for the processing of fibre raw materials for paper and board production. This includes the following objectives:

• closure of the fibre cycle

• more effective use of fibre raw materials

• improved control of stock preparation

• improved product quality

• endorsement of the knowledge infrastructure of the Dutch paper and board industry

The project is carried out in co-operation with Dutch papermills, universities and research institutes, suppliers and the Dutch Centre of Competence Paper and Board. For more information, see also the presentation of Annita Westenbroek as presented at the 3rd CTP/PTS Packaging paper and board recycling symposium (Grenoble, France, 16-18 March 2004).

Contact: Gülden Yilmaz