Environmental Issues Impact on Future Product Design, 1992 TAPPI Conference Proceedings

Growing environmental concerns and "the green movement" are increasingly influencing pulp and paper manufacturing. Markets for "environmentally friendly" or "green" papers have subsequently been evolving.

Different aspects in developing these new paper grades, starting from matching the correct fiber with the right paper will be discussed. The increasing importance of mechanical pulps will also be emphasized. Examples will be presented on how changing consumer attitudes will stimulate such factors as demand for lower brightness (leading to darker furnishes) or new gloss formulations (stimulating new calendering concepts). These changes will affect both technology and how environmental thinking will need to be applied in the mill complex with a goal of finding simpler ways to make paper. In this light, how paper grades with a quality matching to coated woodfree papers can be made based on groundwood will be shown. New approaches in publication paper manufacturing will also be suggested.

Finally, the paper will review the requirements the new "green" products will have on printing technology.