Bioeducation 1 - Institute of Paper Science and Technology

NEW METHOD FOR RECYCLABILITY EVALUATION OF PAPER BASED PACKAGING
Diana Gregor-Svetec1, Klemen Možina1, Janja Zule2, Graziano Elegir3, Hanz-Joachim Putz4
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Aškerčeva 12, Ljubljana, Slovenia, [email protected]; [email protected]
2
Pulp and Paper Institute, Bogišićeva 8, Ljubljana, Slovenia, [email protected]
3
INNOVHUB-SSI, Paper Research Division, Via G. Colombo 83, Milano, Italy, [email protected]
4
Techniche Universität Darmstadt, PMV, Alexanderstrasse 8, Darmstadt, Germany, [email protected]
1
To ensure improved recycling cycles packaging products have to fulfil re-
The macrosticky content e. g. share of stickies < 2.000 μm is determined according to IN-
cyclability requirements; i.e. repulpability and removability of adhesives. The potential prob-
GEDE Method 4 (4). The reject is transferred to a paper filter, stained with black ink, then the
lems when recycling a specific piece of packaging are: it can be difficult to disintegrate, it can
sticky rejects visualised with white, special fused alumina powder (Fig. 2). The sticky area is
contain non-paper components such as plastic films and it can include adhesives that are
evaluated by image analysis and counted as area per kilograms.
Introduction
difficult to remove during the recycling process. Recyclability requirements are: low content
Screening
Transferring to paper
filter
Screening residue
of undesirable materials to avoid high losses, low flake content, because high content can
cause sheet faults and low fragmentation behaviour of adhesive applications (1). Non-paper
Dying
Drying
92 °C, 10 min
components should be mechanically stable in such a way that they survive as large partiDrying
cles, without being comminuted, in the conditions of pulping. They have to allow mechani-
92 °C, 10 min
cal separation by means of punched screens, slot screens and centrifugal purifiers. Materials applied in very small dimensions or disintegrating into very small parts are unfavorable,
because they cannot be removed sufficiently using today’s conventional screening methods
Image analysis with DOMAS
(1).
Removal of the
alumina powder
Drying
Contrasting with
alumina powder
92 °C, 10 min
Figure 2: Determination of sticky content (3).
Objectives
Recyclability evaluation for packaging products is necessary, but there is a lack of common
laboratory method for testing the recyclability of this products. At the Techniche Universität
Preliminary results
Darmstadt, Chair for Paper Technology and Mechanical Process Engineering (PMV) a new as-
boxboard, folding boxboard for liquid packaging were tested using EPL Recyclability test.
sessment tool to evaluate the recycling performance of paper packaging products has been
Obtained results are presented in Table 1.
Three different paper based packaging; corrugated box, folding
studied and further developed in the EcoPaperLoop project (2).
Method description
Table 1: Results of EPL Recyclability test for different packaging samples: corrugated box,
First step is to determine the weight of the complete packaging sample and the weight of its
folding boxboard, folding boxboard for liquid packaging.
glued parts with adhesive material in order to calculate the adherend ratio, which is the ratio
between these two masses. It is essential to maintain the same amounts of glued/non-glued
Sample
parts of a product to determine its recyclability when only a part of the product is used for
Corrugated box
Folding box
the test (3). The Recyclability test for packaging products (5th Draft) is shown in Fig. 1. Pack-
FB - liquid
Adherend ratio
[%]
2.9 ± 0.3
4.5 ± 0.3
10.7 ± 0.3
Coarse reject
Flake content Macrosticy area
[%]
[%]
[mm2/kg]
0.4 ± 0.9
8.9 ± 2.7
1713 ± 402
0.0 ± 0.0
0.7 ± 0.6
1362 ± 353
49.4 ± 6.9
11.7 ± 2.5
1033 ± 638
aging is disintegrated in a low consistency pulper. The suspension with the whole volume
is then filled into the screening device and agitated, then drained through a screen with 10
Conclusion
Goal of the new developed method is the simulation of the behaviour of
millimetre holes. The reject is washed, dried and weighed. Beside evaluation of non-fibre
packaging material during the stock preparation of a paper mill. Compared to other meth-
components, the flake content is determined and macro-sticky test performed.
ods a higher amount of sample material is tested, disintegration step and coarse screen have
practical industrial relevance, and there is an objective evaluation of non-paper components,
sticky potential and sticky size distribution. During the investigation the packaging material
is probed considering the content of non-paper components, content of difficult to disintegrate material, the flake content and the macrosticky potential.
Acknowledgement
Ecopaperloop Project is implemented through the CENTRAL EU-
ROPE Programme and is co-financed by the European Union/European Fund for Regional
Figure 1: Recyclability test for packaging products (3).
Development.
REFERENCES
[1] Putz, H.-J., Voß, D. 2012. Recyclability Assessment – the Chance to develop EcoPaper Products. CEPI European Paperweek, Brussels. Available on internet: http://www.ecopaperloop.eu/en/
events/2012-11-epw/2012-11-Putz Paperweek.pdf.
[2] Voß, D., Putz, H.-J. 2013. Recyclability Evaluation for Packaging Products – Recyclability Seminar. Darmstadt, 22.–23. January 2013.
[3] Putz, H.-J., Runte, S. 2013. Packaging Paper and Board: Raw Materials, Production, Converting and Recylability. EcoPaperLoop Seminar: Enhancing the quality of paper for recycling. Warsaw:
COBRO 29. 10. 2013. pp. 59-80.
[4] INGEDE Method 4. 2011. Analysis of macrostickies in pulp. 11 p.

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