New One-Two Punch Gives Mills the Upper Hand Against Stickies
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recycled fiber - stickies control New One-Two Punch Gives Mills the Upper Hand Against Stickies A new technology combines patented enzyme chemistry for stickies treatment with the leading detackifier to generate a breakthrough in stickies control, reducing the size and quantity of stickies while stabilizing any remaining stickies to reduce agglomeration downstream. By Dexter B. Monroe Optimyze Plus technology combines Technology Advancements. patented enzyme chemistry for stickies Papermaking technology improve- treatment with the leading detackifier ments as well as the consumer tech- to generate a breakthrough in stickies nology evolution have taken sheet control. This patented enzyme tech- quality expectations to higher levels. nology reduces the size and quantity The main dilemma is centered on of stickies while the detackifier stabi- the notion that the paper industry’s lizes any remaining stickies to reduce quest to meet the market demands agglomeration downstream. Several for higher sheet quality standards is studies demonstrate that this new tech- one of the main contributing factors nology provides a new standard in stick- to the problems associated with stick- ies control. Field applications confirm ies. The cycle starts with a consumer that the synergistic combination of the need to enhance the look and feel of a enzyme chemistry with the detackifier paper product. A marketing company provides greater stickies reduction than may request that their paper have enzyme chemistry and better stickies improved brightness, softness, strength, stabilization than detackifiers. or printability in order to create a more distinctive and vibrant advertise- INTRODUCTION ment. In order to meet this demand, Over the last 40 years the paper the competitive marketplace drives industry has experienced several market forces that have influ- chemical innovation. It is this very innovation that leads to the enced the direction of recycled fiber utilization. Buckman creation of improved ink binders with longer water penetra- conducted a survey of industry experts which indicated that tion hold out. As these improved ink binders become a part of stickies-related sheet quality and machine runnability problems the recycled fiber market, the same innovation that led to their have increased mainly due to marketplace demands for higher development results in a sheet with a more tenacious stick- sheet quality performance. In order to be competitive in today’s ies deposit. Several paper industry and consumer technology market, papermakers must continue to respond to these ever advancements are highlighted in Diagram 1. increasing sheet quality expectations. The papermakers rely Competitive Marketplace. The paper industry has experi- on procedural, mechanical, and chemical methods to control enced company consolidations, paper demand reductions, and stickies-related problems within their operation. The scope of global capacity realignments that have affected the distribution this article is limited to chemical treatments. Additionally, envi- and usage of recycled fiber. Diagram 1 depicts the emerging ronmental improvement efforts have limited the use of prevail- technologies and marketplace drivers that continue to reshape ing chemical technologies for stickies treatment. [1] These main the recycled fiber market. Many of these factors represent chal- drivers that have influenced recycled fiber utilization can be lenges for papermakers. Global recycled fiber demands have categorized as technology advancements, the competitive mar- influenced the price and quality of recycled fiber. Papermakers ketplace, and environmental requirements. no longer demand clean, consistent recycled fiber from their 20 JULY/AUGUST 2011 PaperAge recycled fiber - stickies control Papermaking Technology Consumer Technology the strong cleaning agents used in the 1970’s and 1980’s have Improvements Improvements been phased out due to water quality discharge regulations established by the Clean Water Act. [1] Even some of the less aggressive detergents used in the 1990’s have been banned due to Clean Water and Clean Air regulations. [2] Currently, several Acid Alkaline Improved PC Evolution Papermaking Sheet paper companies have implemented a lower risk approach to Properties In Jet Printers Larger Faster More (Tissue, Fine chemical additives by eliminating the use of products that con- efficient paper machines Paper) Internet tain even the slightest level of hazardous pollutants. As much as Improved sheet defect Increased Headline the improved quality demands and the competitive global mar- Quality identification Reduced Cost News Networks ketplace have adjusted the stickies control arena, the environ- equipment Global Raw Supply/Demand Material Global Raw mental regulations have changed the pool of potential chemical for Recycled Supply Material Supply Paper Reduced News- actives available for use as stickies control agents. Today, the Increased Demand print Demand for Tissue demand for “green” products have led to the creative use of Government Contracts natural alternatives such as enzymes and agriculturally derived Post Consumer Waste Content products. Figure 1, Environmental Drivers, highlights some of Copy Ink Jet Multi- purpose paper these areas of concern. [3] Mill Closure Downsizing COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE DRIVES Global Labor Costs SHEET QUALTY IMPROVEMENTS Competitive Marketplace Market forces have shifted the perspective of consumers into a new competitive marketplace full of increased sheet quality pos- Diagram 1 sibilities. Buckman’s survey of papermaking experts identified the suppliers. Instead, papermakers accept lower quality contami- main drivers for stickies-related issues within the paper industry nated recycled fiber because it is affordable and available. At over the past 40 years. Figure 2 provides a graphic representation the same time, chemical innovation has increased the tackiness of these factors. The top challenge within the industry centered of stickies, and the global recycled fiber demand has increased on the increased level of sheet quality expectations. Careful con- the potential for increased contamination in recycled furnish. sideration into the key motivations that contributed to the sheet Many of these issues are shown in Diagram 1. quality improvements are in line with the theory of economic Environmental Requirements. Throughout the 1970’s, alchemy described by Paul Pilzer in his book entitled Unlimited 1980’s, and 1990’s, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Wealth. [4] Pilzer suggests that economic success comes from enforcement efforts have caused papermakers to scrutinize the creating consumer demand by offering superior products. This chemical additives used in the papermaking process. Some of type of improvement did not occur in one step within the paper industry. In fact, the Hazardous Waste Water Regulations Air Emissions changes occurred through a Increasing Unregulated Establish water Volume of Waste Smog issues and death discharge of quality standards series of small steps as a result TSDF Amendment of pollutants to VOCs & HAPs Clean Air Act 1963 & 1907 RCRA 1984 Permitting water of the papermaking technol- Superfund/ NPE/APE NSPS & NESHAP ogy improvements, consumer Established CERCLA River catching fire Criteria Pollutants & NAAQS ”cradle to grave” (Cuyahoga River) Illegal NPDES Permits Clean Air Act technology developments and regulations Acid Rain dumping Amendments 1990 Wide-spread Pre-Treatment competitive marketplace factors Solid Waste Montreal Protocol contamination, fish kills Standards Ozone Hole Disposal Act 1965 listed in Diagram 1. Although Federal Water Pollution Priority Pollutants Green House Gases Contamination of Control Act 1948 Title V the list in Diagram 1 may not land and water Land Clean Water Permits Ground level ozone Regulations Passage of disposal Act 1977 Regional Haze be all inclusive, many of those restrictions on discharges ENVIRONMENTAL RCRA 1976 to water DRIVERS factors were key drivers of the paper quality improvements “Silent Spring” Rachel Carson 1962 over the past 40 years. The Toxic Release Inventories ISO 14001 SARA Title III paper industry experienced Product reformulation 1986 Global economic alchemy as one inno- Customer requirements TIER 1 & 2 Reporting Warming Bhopal, India vation drove another within Environmental acitivist the competitive nature of the Source Risk Management Plans “Green” movement Reduction Emergency marketplace. Improved sheet Planning properties led to the formation Sustainability Community Right-to-Know Figure 1. Environmental Drivers PaperAge JULY/AUGUST 2011 21 recycled fiber - stickies control of new paper grades with improved brightness for fine paper, stickies control technologies were simply falling further behind increased softness for tissue, and better printability for packaging the rapid increase in stickies-related machine runnability and grades. These new grades also generated new challenges within sheet quality complications caused by these increased sheet the recycled fiber market. quality demands. Papermakers were frustrated with chemical The additives used to help improve the sheet properties treatments that seemed to transfer the stickies from one area of also generated new challenges in the repulping process. As our the machine to another surface or end up in the sheet as a large survey revealed, the new challenges were really influenced by agglomerated stickie, causing converting issues. the demand for improved sheet quality. The traditional