Can Sulphite Pulp Challenge the Predominance of Kraft Pulp Successfully?, 1993 Pulping Conference Proceedings
Since the 1960’s, sulphite pulping technology has been in a decline throughout North America. The profile of the 1960’s sulphite pulp mill was small-scale operation and no effluent treatment. The most obvious reason for this rapid decline of sulphite pulping was economic. Direct treatment of spent pulping liquor before discharge into the receiving waters was considered to be too costly. Rising labour cost favoured the large-scale pulp producgion. There are relatively few sulphite pulp mills in operation today.
Research and development of sulphite technology persisted. A new generation of sulphite technology can offer, among other things, higher pulping yield, easier bleaching and higher physical strengths. The predominance of kraft pulp in the market place could be challenged credibly. However, there are still many practical obstacles to the emergence and growth of new-technology sulphite pulp manufacture.
Some recent technological advances could render sulphite pulping to be an economic and environmentally-attractive alternative to kraft pulping.