Eco-design and manufacturing solutions of paper
products have a influence on different parameters
of the recycling process for the pulp
stock preparation, conditioning the recyclability
behaviour of the products. The recyclability level,
which can be assessed according to standard
laboratory test methods, affect the environmental
performances of the process itself, for instance in
terms of emissions or energy consumptions.
EcoRecycling is a Calculator tool
for the assessment the most important environmental
indicators related to the recycling behaviour and
solutions of paper products.
Two recycling parameters were selected as the most
important for the analysis of graphic products:
Luminosity Y and Dirt Specks content of Deinked pulp.
Luminosity Y has an impact on deinking chemicals
utilization and electricity consumption, while the
Dirt Specks amount affects the electricity consumption
of the deinking process.
Similarly two recycling parameters were identified
as the most important for the assessment of packaging products:
Coarse Rejects, which is the content of non-paper
components or difficult to disintegrate materials,
and Macrostickies, tacky particles mainly due to
adhesive applications.
Coarse Rejects have an impact on the amount of
recycling process waste to be disposed, while
Macrostickies content affects the electricity
consumption of the recycling process.
EcoRecycling is a Calculator tool for the assessment
the most important environmental indicators related
to the recycling behaviour and solutions of paper
products.
It is intended as a tool for paper and packaging
producers, converters, brand-owners and final users
of paper and packaging products. The scope is to
enhance the environmental sustainability of paper
base products, starting from the analysis of the
recycling performances.
Enhancing the Quality of Paper for Recycling in Europe
The goal of the project is to raise awareness and
provide tools to enhance the recyclability of paper
products as well as the collection of paper for
recycling in the Central Europe region. This shall
secure the quality of the raw material for the paper
industry and reduce the environmental impact as much
as possible.
Paper represents one of the best recycled material in
Europe and a good example how the circular
economy may work. In order to retain the currently high
paper recycling rate or even improve it in the future,
a clearer definition of recycling oriented eco-design is
necessary as well as a further development of the life
cycle thinking in the whole paper value chain.
The extended producer responsibility for an effective
material recycling shall become a key driver in the
decision process of environmentally focused companies.
This project was co-funded by the European Union/European
Fund for Regional Development under Grant No. 4CE555P3.