Waste Paper Research Articles

Barrier molded fiber products based on recovery and up-cycling of paper and agricultural wastes via a Pickering emulsion approach

Barrier molded fiber products based on recovery and up-cycling of paper and agricultural wastes via a Pickering emulsion approach

Student Opinions on the Sustainable Art Practice of Printmaking Papers Converted from Waste Paper

This research focuses on understanding and addressing environmental issues through art by integrating waste paper into sustainable art practices. The unique value of this study lies in its emphasis on the fact that combining recycled paper with art carries not only environmental benefits but also social and creative potential. As part of the research, paper-making workshops were organized to facilitate the convergence of recycled paper with art, during which waste paper was recycled to produce printmaking paper. Subsequently, participants were given the opportunity to carry out linoleum printing applications by incorporating local elements into their works. In this research, implementation and examination studies were conducted in line with the stated aims and objectives. The study employed a case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, and data were collected through a semi-structured interview form. Based on these data, it was clearly demonstrated that the students who participated in the paper recycling workshop and engaged in the processes of printing on recycled materials for sustainable art practices experienced an increase in environmental awareness, and their positive impact on sustainable art was clearly revealed.

Paper waste and carbon emissions from oral contraceptive leaflets.

Oral contraceptives (OC) are the most used form of contraception among women in the U.S. and Europe. Like other medications, their packaging must include patient information leaflets. This study quantifies the environmental impact of paper waste generated by these leaflets. We conducted an observational analysis, measuring the weight of leaflets, pills, and packaging components across various OC brands. Significant variations in leaflet weights were observed. On average, leaflets accounted for 55% of the package weight, while pills and blister dispensers represented only 32%. The mean weight of OC leaflets was 12.3 ± 5.5 grams (4.7-21.9 grams), leading to an estimated annual paper waste of 6,118.4 tons, 5,763.5 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, and the use of approximately 146,841 trees for production. Standardizing leaflet weight to the lightest reported can reduce annual waste by 3780.5 tons of paper. This study highlights the substantial environmental cost of the waste generated from OC leaflets and proposes practical strategies to mitigate waste, including electronic leaflets and standardized packaging. Targeting these materials presents a significant opportunity to enhance sustainability, aligning with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the healthcare sector.

Synergistic deinking effect of neutral sodium sulfite with fungal hemicellulase enzyme for improved recycling of waste papers.

The study examined the beneficial effects of the synergistic deinking and delignification process on the quality of recycled pulp. By utilizing a mixture of neutral sodium sulfite, sodium carbonate, and fungal hemicellulase enzyme, the research demonstrated that the paper achieved enhancements in brightness, whiteness, tensile and burst indices, while also exhibiting reduced yellowness and ERIC in comparison to paper derived from chemically deinked pulp. The high-resolution ESCA analysis demonstrated a reduction in lignin surface coverage, and enhancement in the O/C atomic ratios. FTIR spectra indicated notable alterations in the structure of fibers and the functional groups of deinked pulp fibers. XRD spectra confirmed a higher cellulose crystallinity index and FESEM micrographs illustrated a rougher surface with the emergence of new fibrils. Additionally, UV analysis of the pulp effluents indicated significant lignin absorbance, while post-bleaching with H2O2 further enhanced the reactivity of the pulp and the overall quality of the paper.

Waste paper recycling and its application in modification of the green biodegradable material

Waste paper is a significant waste resource that is part of waste polymer materials in vast quantities, and there is now a lot of focus on the development of high-value conversion and use technologies for waste paper. High-quality waste paper fibers (WF) were extracted in this work from the deinked waste paper pulp by mechanical process. Then, waste paper fiber/polylactic acid (WF/PLA) composites were synthesized using hybrid forming technique to investigate the modification impact of WF on WF/PLA composites. The results showed that a certain additive amount of WF could improve barrier property of WF/PLA composites. When WF was added of 3.5 %, a water vapor transport rate was only of 59 g/(m2d), and the barrier property was increased by 82.8 %. Besides, WF/PLA composites also possessed good thermal stability. With the additive WF ranging from 3 % to 4 %, the initial decomposing temperature of WF/PLA composites increased by 19℃. Importantly, the transparency of PLA was slightly improved with a certain addition of WF. Hence, this work realized the performance enhancement of WF/PLA composites by a small addition of WF, and reduced the production cost of PLA to some extent, which had a good application prospect.

Influence of dammar resin on the mechanical properties of composites reinforced with corn husk and paper waste

This study aimed to investigate the influence of dammar resin on the mechanical properties of composite materials reinforced with corn husk and paper waste laminates. Different percentages of dammar resin (50%, 60%, and 70%) were added to the matrix while keeping the reinforcement constant. For all samples, the ratio was maintained at 40% matrix and 60% reinforcement. With the experimental results obtained, statistical analyses were conducted: two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Levene’s test, Shapiro-Wilk test, and ANOVA post hoc (with Bonferroni correction). The null hypothesis stated that dammar resin does not influence the mechanical properties. For all tests considered, the null hypothesis was rejected (p < 0.05), the variances were homogeneous (p > 0.05), and the data followed a normal distribution (p > 0.05). It was found that dammar resin had a significant influence on the mechanical properties as the percentage increased from 50% to 70% (p < 0.0083). For each test, based on already known premises, an explanation of the phenomenon that could occur due to the insertion of dammar resin was provided, serving to complement and validate the statistical estimations.

Using quick response codes to access digital health resources in the general practice waiting room

Background Quick response (QR) codes are an established method of communication in today’s society. However, the role of QR codes for linking to health information in general practice waiting areas has not yet been explored. Methods This mixed-methods study used both quantitative data measuring QR scans and qualitative data from follow-up semi-structured interviews with visitors to two general practice waiting areas to determine access to an online health information site and their experience of using the QR code. The technology acceptance model was used to guide the interview questions. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative data were analysed thematically using an inductive approach. Results A total of 263 QR scans were recorded across the two sites between October 2022 and October 2023. Twelve participants were interviewed. Eleven themes were identified; six were categorised as facilitators and five were barriers to QR code engagement. Motivation for engagement included boredom and curiosity. Facilitators for engaging with the QR code included familiarity secondary to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, benefits of accessing potentially sensitive information with anonymity, convenience of revisiting later and reduced paper waste. Barriers included size and location of the QR code as a limiting factor to engagement, waiting room wait time, privacy and security concerns, and the potential to exclude those without access to technology or those with low technological literacy. Conclusion Using QR codes in the general practice waiting area is a convenient method of presenting health information to visitors and patients. Our findings indicate that this may be an appropriate method to share health information in waiting areas. Facilitators and barriers identified in this study may assist with optimising engagement with health information via QR codes while waiting for appointments.

Assessment of Physical and Combustion Properties of Fecal Sludge‐Derived Char Briquettes Bonded by Waste Papers, Cassava, and Banana Peels

ABSTRACTInnovative approaches using biomass and waste for briquette production are needed to address energy deficiencies in household cooking and heating. Fecal sludge (FS) can serve as a feedstock for briquette production. However, the physical and chemical qualities of the briquettes produced using FS and different binding materials are still inadequate. This article examines the physical and combustion properties of carbonized FS bio‐briquettes made using five different binders, namely, waste paper (WP), cooked banana peels (CB), non‐cooked banana peels (NB), cooked cassava peels (CC), and non‐cooked cassava peels (NC). Bio‐briquettes were made at various binder ratios (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%) using a locally fabricated manual pressing machine. Overall, the study discovered that all bio‐briquettes fabricated can be utilized for heating and cooking; however, the type and quantity of binders employed influence their quality. The study concluded that FS bio‐briquettes blended with 75% WP binder were the best, outperforming others in many tests including drying rates (6 days), physical tests (passed shattering [95%], water boiling [240 s], and tumbling tests [100%]), and burning/thermal efficiency (19.23 MJ/kg). The study suggests further research to be conducted on combining FS with other biomass feedstocks to decrease volatile matter and emissions in bio‐briquettes made with FS and non‐carbonized binders.

The factors influencing waste management for economic development—the perspective of Nelson Mandela bay municipality residents

The rapid increase in volume and variety of solid waste as a result of continuous economic growth, urbanization, and industrialization has become an intractable problem for the public and private sectors, making it difficult to ensure effective and sustainable waste management. The study sought to understand the perspective of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipal residents on their perceived influence of municipal waste management on economic development. The study used a quantitative techniques approach, with a structured questionnaire. Data was collected from 255 respondents. The quantitative question aimed to determine if the influence was positive or negative, and the Likert scale question had a scale of 1 to 5. This research identified various types of waste, assessed challenges, and evaluated waste's potential for resource creation. The study concluded that municipal waste includes organic, paper, plastic, metal, glass, food, garden, hazardous, construction, demolition, and non-recyclable waste. Environmental pollution is a major challenge, and 26 factors positively influence waste to wealth. Waste to wealth can be achieved through social behavior, education/knowledge, MSWM governance, and economic feasibility for MSWM. The research also highlighted the importance of land attributes, budget allocation, trained personnel, and government regulations. The framework proposed aims to minimize urban poverty while preserving the environment and supporting the present urban economy. Urban communities can utilize solid waste management as a mechanism to foster economic development. The fundamental question is whether stakeholders will continue to ignore waste's potential demands and benefits for urban economic growth.

Conversion of waste paper sludge into magnetic biochar for activation of peroxydisulfate for tetracycline removal

ABSTRACT The Fe2+-peroxydisulfate (PDS) process is an effective method to enhance paper sludge dewaterability. However, the generated waste of iron-rich sludge cake needs to be disposed of properly. Converting sludge cake into magnetic biochar catalysts can help to shorten its environmental risks, recover resources, and reduce catalyst costs. In this work, the magnetic sludge biochar (Fe-SBC) was prepared and applied as a PDS activator to remove tetracycline (TC). Results showed that the Fe-SBC pyrolyzed at 600 °C presented excellent catalytic activity for PDS to degrade TC (rate of 74.89%) under the optimum conditions (intrinsic pH, 10 mM PDS, 0.5 g/L Fe-SBC, and 50 mg/L TC). It was found for the first time that the addition sequences of the biochar catalyst and PDS were insignificant on TC removal. Furthermore, the TC removal mechanism was proposed to be free radicals (·OH, SO4·−, and O2−·) and non-radical (1O2) pathways working together for TC removal, for which 1O2 was dominated. In addition, coexisting ions (Cl− and CO32−) had an inhibitory effect on TC degradation. This work will provide a new recycling approach for waste paper sludge in wastewater treatment.

Comparing the short-term leaching behaviour of cements containing supplementary cementitious materials in different leachants for low-level waste encapsulation

Pulverized fly ash (PFA) is commonly used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in cement and is permitted for use in cements and grouts used for the encapsulation of low-level nuclear waste. However, with a global decrease in availability of PFA predicted in the near future, alternative SCMs are required. In nuclear encapsulation, a key parameter for a new SCM is that it does not change the leaching behaviour of the grout. We present promising initial leaching data from two SCMs: metakaolin and waste paper fly ash. These were tested for 24 h in two leachants, deionized water and an artificial groundwater, tracking the pH and leachability of a range of elements as the samples equilibrated with the leachants. The study suggests that for many elements, both metakaolin and waste paper fly ash show a very similar leaching behaviour to PFA grout formulations despite differences in the pH equilibration. In general, the tests suggest that the composition of the elute is dominated by leaching from the cementitious phases, and not the SCM. This suggests that further longer-term leaching studies are required as part of testing for SCM suitability for nuclear grouts in order to understand the connections between leaching and grout microstructure.

Effects of hydrodynamic shear during formation of paper sheets with the addition of nanofibrillated cellulose, cationic starch, and cationic retention aid

Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate effects of hydrodynamic shear levels on papermaking process variables and paper handsheet properties. The furnish was from 100% recycled copy paper, to which was added nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) at the 5% level following its optional pretreatment with cationic starch. A cationic copolymer of acrylamide (cPAM) was used as the retention aid. Different levels of hydrodynamic shear were applied both after mixing the NFC with the cationic starch (pre-shearing) or after all the furnish components had been combined (final shearing). The presence or absence of pre-shearing was found to have little effect on the measured outcomes. By contrast, increasing final shear hurt filler retention and made the resulting paper more uniform. However, the final shear level did not have a significant effect on the tensile strength of the resulting handsheets. Medium-charge density cationic starch, used in pretreating the NFC, consistently gave greater strength in comparison to a high-charge cationic starch. The significance of these findings is that though the relatively high hydrodynamic shear levels associated with modern paper machines can have some beneficial effects, they do not necessarily overcome all challenges associated with wet-end addition of nanocellulose in combination with other additives.

Colloid chemical aspects of paper formation in the presence of nanofibrillated cellulose and cationic starch

A series of experimental tests were carried out to examine colloidal-scale consequences of optional-ly treating nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with cationic starches of different charge density and dosage (0.5% or 2.0% by weight), adding that material to a furnish prepared from 100% recycled copy paper, and then subjecting the mixture to very different levels of hydrodynamic shear. Tests included optical microscopy, sediment volume tests, sediment velocity tests, and “percent fines” assessment by means of a fiber quality analyzer (FQA). In addition, the zeta potential and charge demand of the studied materials were evaluated. Optical imaging revealed that cationic starch treatment of the NFC tended to agglomerate it into multiparticle clusters, which sometimes could be mostly redispersed by hydrodynamic shear. Subsequent addition of the starch-treated NFC to the default furnish resulted in much of the colloidal material becoming attached to fibers. Subsequent shearing of the mixtures was at least partly effective in separating the clusters of NFC from the fiber surface, resulting in essentially a two-component mixture. Multiparticle NFC clusters coexisted with the fiber suspension, sometimes attached and sometimes not, depending on the details of treatments. Sediment volume tests showed that systems containing cationic starch-treated NFC tended to have a higher density after settling in comparison to untreated NFC; these findings are consistent with the cationic starch acting as a stabilizer on the solid surfaces, allowing them to slide past each other during the settling process. Application of intense hydrodynamic shear tended to result in denser sediment. Results of tests with the sediment velocity measurement and the FQA percent fines assessment did not correlate well with changes in test conditions considered in this study.

Cellulose nanocrystal extraction from tissue paper wastes using different extraction methods and cellulose acetate production

ABSTRACT This paper examines the feasibility of extracting cellulose from tissue paper wastes (TPW’s) using several methods: sonication (SC), subcritical (SU), microwave (MC), and microwave with diluted acid (MA). The chemical characterisation and morphological properties of nanocrystal cellulose were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-Ray analysis (SEM-EDX). TPW’s have a relatively high crystallinity index (CrI = 61.02%). It was found to be lower than that for cellulose extracted using SU and SC MC, MA methods, where CrI to 65.65%, 68.07%, 69.21% and 73.42%, respectively. The MA method yielded cellulose with the highest CrI and altered surface morphology. This cellulose was selected for cellulose acetate synthesis. After acetylation, the CrI decreased to 61.45%, and the morphological aspect was changed. In conclusion, nanocrystal cellulose was successfully extracted from TPW’s and effectively changed to its esterified form.

Prediction of Flotation Deinking Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Techniques

Flotation deinking is one of the most widely used techniques for the separation of ink particles from cellulose fibers during the process of paper recycling. It is a complex process influenced by a variety of factors, and is difficult to represent and usually results in models that are inconvenient to implement and/or interpret. In this paper, a comprehensive study of several machine learning methods for the prediction of flotation deinking performance is carried out, including support vector regression, regression tree ensembles (random forests and boosting) and Gaussian process regression. The prediction relies on the development of a limited dataset that assumes representative data samples obtained under a variety of laboratory conditions, including different reagents, pH values and flotation residence times. The results obtained in this paper confirm that the machine learning methods enable the accurate prediction of flotation deinking performance even when the dataset used for training the model is limited, thus enabling the determination of optimal conditions for the paper recycling process, with only minimal costs and effort. Considering the low complexity of the Gaussian process regression compared to the aforementioned ensemble models, it should be emphasized that the Gaussian process regression gave the best performance in estimating fiber recovery (R2 = 97.77%) and a reasonable performance in estimating the toner recovery (R2 = 86.31%).

Converting large-scale waste paper fibers into lanthanum-modified cellulose carbon aerogel adsorbents for efficient phosphorus removal

This study presents the synthesis of a novel lanthanum-modified cellulose-based carbon aerogel (La-CCA) from waste printing paper, aimed at addressing the issue of phosphate pollution in aquatic environments. The objective was to develop an effective and sustainable adsorbent to mitigate eutrophication caused by excess phosphates in water bodies. La-CCA exhibited a remarkable phosphate adsorption capacity, peaking at 44.32 mg/g under optimal conditions, demonstrating its efficiency as an adsorbent. The novelty of this work lies in the use of waste paper as a raw material, coupled with lanthanum modification, which enhanced adsorption performance through multiple mechanisms, including electrostatic interactions, ligand exchange, and inner-sphere complexation. The study also discussed the retention of the microfibrous structure of cellulose, contributing to the material’s stability and functionality. Comprehensive analyses including zeta potential, FTIR, and XPS elucidate the underlying adsorption mechanisms. La-CCA was demonstrated to be easily separable from solutions with minimal lanthanum leaching, particularly under conditions above pH 3.0, underscoring its potential for practical applications in phosphate removal from nutrient-enriched waters.

Energy dataset of Frontier supercomputer for waste heat recovery

The Hewlett Packard Enterprise–Cray EX Frontier is the world’s first and fastest exascale supercomputer, hosted at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility in Tennessee, United States. Frontier is a significant electricity consumer, drawing 8–30 MW; this massive energy demand produces significant waste heat, requiring extensive cooling measures. Although harnessing this waste heat for campus heating is a sustainability goal at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the 30 °C–38 °C waste heat temperature poses compatibility issues with standard HVAC systems. Heat pump systems, prevalent in residential settings and some industries, can efficiently upgrade low-quality heat to usable energy for buildings. Thus, heat pump technology powered by renewable electricity offers an efficient, cost-effective solution for substantial waste heat recovery. However, a major challenge is the absence of benchmark data on high-performance computing (HPC) heat generation and waste heat profiles. This paper reports power demand and waste heat measurements from an ORNL HPC data centre, aiming to guide future research on optimizing waste heat recovery in large-scale data centres, especially those of HPC calibre.

Investigation the Use of Waste Glass and Waste Paper as an Alternative Construction Binding Material: An Approach Towards Sustainable Environment

The idea of repurposing garbage as a resource within the building industry has drawn much attention in light of growing worldwide concerns about sustainable development and waste management. This thesis explores the intriguing idea of using waste materials as a practical and ecological replacement for construction materials and also carefully evaluates the technical, environmental and financial viability of incorporating various waste products, like household waste paper and waste glass into different construction applications. The results of this research project are incredibly insightful. Regarding waste paper as a cement replacement, the experiment demonstrated that substituting 10%, 20% or 30% of cement with waste paper is not a recommended practice. In all instances, the resulting concrete blocks exhibited a significant reduction in strength when compared to traditional concrete formulations. This outcome underscores the limitations of waste paper as a viable substitute for maintaining concrete strength. Conversely, findings regarding glass waste replacement in cement are particularly exciting. At just 7 days of curing, concrete blocks incorporating 10% and 20% glass waste replacements displayed higher strength than their conventional counterparts, showcasing an early strength advantage. By the 14-day mark, the strength of these glass waste-reinforced blocks closely approached that of standard concrete, highlighting their potential for use in sustainable construction practices. Even more impressively, at 21 days of curing, when conventional concrete reached its peak strength at 28.33 KN per square meter, the blocks with 10%, 20% and 30% glass waste replacement-maintained robustness, with strengths of 26.4, 25.26 and 19.44 KN per square meter respectively. This prolonged strength retention suggests that glass waste-reinforced concrete can serve as a sustainable alternative without compromising structural integrity, even in the long term.

Experimentation on Sargassum wightii as a flash powder igniter for attaining eco-friendly combustion on pyrotechnics

Firecrackers are a vital element of cultural festivities that happen worldwide. However, the hazardous by-products they emit have a significant impact on environmental pollution, leading to the greenhouse effect and climate change. Aluminium powder serves as the fuel in the traditional flash powder mixture, nitrate of potassium serves as an oxidizing agent, and sulphur acts as the igniter at exact concentrations. The presence of sulfur in the flash powder mixture is critical as it acts as an igniter, contributing to the formation of sulfur dioxide, which can cause environmental harm. We carried out an experiment employing Sargassum wightii brown seaweed powder as a replacement for sulphur at specific amounts to lessen the effects of sulphur in flash powder. We discovered that Sargassum wightii brown seaweed powder may replace up to 50% of the sulphur significance in the flash powder mixture without impairing the flash powder's traditional performance. Our experiments included impact and friction sensitivity, SEM, and FTIR analyses to evaluate the improved flash powder composition. The results revealed that the modified flash powder mixture SP5 and SP10 emits less emission by 12% and 21%, and produces similar noise performance of 108 and 107 dB(A) to the normal flash powder composition (SP), affirming that the SP10 flash powder is a viable alternative. Moreover, in our relentless pursuit to mitigate the detrimental effects on our environment, we have ingeniously introduced a novel product—the Chinese cracker made from vegetable waste paper. Not only does this innovative solution address concerns regarding land pollution, but it also presents a sustainable approach to consumer goods.

Manufacturing lithium-ion anodes from silicon recovered from end-of-life solar panels

With the rapid growth of solar energy, the recycling or re-use of used solar panels has become a key issue. Recycling high-value photovoltaic silicon from solar cells is an important step towards achieving “carbon neutrality.” In this paper, an efficient and high-value recycling strategy is employed to convert recycled silicon from discarded solar cells into lithium-ion anode materials. In this case, the recycled PV silicon is etched with hydrofluoric acid (HF) to create a porous silicon structure. This structure is designed to withstand the expansion stress of the electrodes. After surface modification with citric acid and carbon nanotubes to enhance the electrical conductivity of the recycled silicon and buffer the electrode from stress expansion during lithium storage and release, lithium difluorooxalate borate was added to pre-treat the surface of the recycled photovoltaic silicon through heat treatment. This process creates a robust and fast lithium-ion conductive interface enriched with LiF, Li2C2O4, LiBO2, and Li2B4O7. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed to investigate the electronic structure of the synthesized materials, revealing their remarkable electronic conductivity and atomic bonding characteristics. When used as an anode for Li-ion batteries, W-pSi@C/CNTs exhibited high initial coulombic efficiency with stable cycling, demonstrating a capacity of 2040 mAh/g at 0.2 A/g for 200 cycles. In addition, this high-value recycling will help promote the development of renewable energy in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.