Paper Mills Unleashed: Pioneering Innovations in Sustainable Solid Waste Management

The paper industry is essential to human life around the world, supplying a variety of paper products to around 5 billion individuals. On average, global paper and paperboard consumption is about 55 kilograms per person each year. While digitalization has changed some production and consumption behaviors, the use of paper and paperboard continues to grow each year, particularly in major markets like North America, Europe, and Asia. As the demand for paper increases, so does the amount of solid waste produced by paper mills, with each ton of paper generating approximately 200-300 kilograms of solid waste.

Categories and Origins of Waste

The solid waste produced by paper mills is varied, predominantly comprising pulp residues, waste paper, chemical byproducts, packaging waste, and ragger wire. Ragger wire, a typical byproduct of the pulp production process, often contains plastics, small metal fragments, and non-soluble paper, with steel wire making up 30%-35% of its composition. Over time, the volume of solid waste generated by paper mills has increased significantly, and the presence of different pollutants creates major challenges for the environment.

Environmental Risks and Carbon Emissions

If solid waste from paper mills is not properly managed, it can lead to various environmental issues. Firstly, untreated wastewater and solid waste can cause water pollution, severely affecting aquatic ecosystems. Secondly, these harmful substances can seep into the soil, leading to soil contamination and harming plant growth.

Additionally, during the incineration or treatment of waste, harmful gases such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and dioxins may be released, degrading air quality and directly threatening human health.

Furthermore, inadequate waste recycling and treatment result in the waste of valuable resources and exacerbate environmental burdens through landfilling.

Paper mills consume significant amounts of energy and water during production, and their greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, further contribute to global warming. For every kilogram of paper produced, approximately 3.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere, intensifying the greenhouse effect and becoming one of the greatest environmental threats.

Additionally, organic solid residues from the paper-making process, such as wood waste, sludge, and volatile organic compounds, can also impact the environment, increasing soil and water pollution.

Utilization of Harden's RDF Preparation System in Paper Mills

To tackle these challenges, Harden Machinery Ltd. has created a resource recovery system tailored for paper mill waste, emphasizing the processing of ragger wire, light residues, and other by-products generated during production. At the heart of this system is a large dual-shaft shear shredder, which can be programmed to adjust settings according to various material properties.

By employing processes such as conveying, shredding, disintegration, metal extraction, and screening, the system effectively separates metals, mixed impurities, and combustible materials (SRF), thus transforming paper mill waste into valuable resources.

A paper mill in Hubei, China, successfully launched a solid waste RDF alternative fuel preparation center in early 2024, which has been recognized as a pivotal project for high-quality development in the province's manufacturing sector for 2023. This initiative utilizes the RDF preparation system from Harden Machinery Ltd., specifically designed for processing solid waste from paper mills.

The system aims to convert light residues and ragger wire into high-calorific RDF alternative fuel, boasting a processing capacity of over 400 tons per day and an annual output exceeding 100,000 tons. This high-calorific fuel will be utilized in the fluidized bed boiler of the paper mill's self-owned thermal power plant, replacing conventional fossil fuels and is projected to save around 80,000 tons of fossil fuels each year, leading to savings of several million yuan in costs.

Harden's all-in-one ragger wire recovery system offers a complete solution for managing paper mill waste, featuring waste wire shredders, hammer crushers, and metal separators. This system has gained widespread application in the market due to its efficiency and innovative design.

Through this system, paper mills can effectively recover high-value metals, with a steel wire recovery rate approaching 45%, while also converting remaining waste into combustible RDF (refuse-derived fuel), significantly reducing landfill pressure. This integrated processing solution not only enhances resource utilization but also plays a vital role in promoting environmental sustainability.

Efficiency in Processing and Environmental Advantages

Harden's RDF preparation system for paper mills employs advanced equipment to effectively separate non-combustible materials and impurities from solid waste, resulting in RDF with a particle size of around 50mm and a purity rate surpassing 95%.

This improvement in processing capability not only significantly enhances the resource utilization of waste but also reduces environmental risks. Furthermore, this technology can effectively address the large amounts of light residues and ragger wire generated during the paper-making process, achieving resource recovery and harmless treatment, thus providing a practical solution for the sustainable development of the industry.

Future Perspective and Industry Influence

As global carbon reduction goals gain significance, the use of RDF alternative fuel technology in paper mills will play a vital role in advancing low-carbon development. By transforming solid waste into RDF, paper mills can significantly diminish waste and greenhouse gas emissions while fulfilling their energy requirements. Advancing this technology will improve paper mills' capacity to comply with environmental regulations and market demands, thereby enhancing their competitive edge in the industry.