Potentiality of Waste Paper Recycling for Sustainable Production of Paper in Khartoum State

Abstract

Pulp and paper manufacturing requires large amount of fibrous raw material from wood and other resources. Recovered fiber has become an indispensable raw material for the paper manufacturing industry, accounting about for one-third of the total raw materials because of the favorable price of recovered fibers. The aim of the current study was to investigate the potentiality of waste paper recycling for sustainable production in Khartoum state. To achieve this aim, two sets of questionnaires were prepared; the first set was open closed questionnaire to test awareness about waste collection; sorting, disposal and recycling and the second was designed for the convertors (printing press and packaging manufactures) with extra specific inquires targeting information about consumption of different paper grades by the convertors such as, type and grades of paper used, amount of waste. During the survey, waste paper (printing, wrapping paper and old newsprint) samples were collected from the packaging and press houses. Printing and wrapping waste was recycled used two different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (3% and 6%). In this study flotation mechanism was used for waste paper old newsprint (ONP). For the detachment of the ink. The pulp was treated with two sets of chemicals: in the first set hydrogen peroxide was added in three different charges (1%, 2% and 3%). In the second set Sodium carbonate was added in three different charges (1%, 2% and 3%). The analysis of survey revealed that awareness of community play main role in waste management policy. In addition to the present study it could be noticed that the imported amounts of the wrapping papers is high compared to the different types of the printing papers (not to mention office copy and printing papers). The available waste from these facilities could easily be collected and the different types provide a wide range of products. In this study the highest yield was obtained when 6% from NaOH was used. The yields obtained were 82% and 79% for wrapping paper and printing paper respectively. At the same time for ONP the better brightness was obtained when 3% from H2O2 and Na2CO3 were used. The brightness was 53% and 57% respectively. It was also noticed that increasing in concentration of chemicals and disintegration time increased the physical properties of paper (tensile index, burst index and bulk).The present study recommended numbers of actions to be taken in order to improve the performance of the waste paper management system in Khartoum: Establishment of environmental strategies and policies, sorting system and enhancement of private sector participation to increase the overall system efficiency for solid waste, household and packaging factories. The study also recommended using as minimum chemicals as possible in the recycling process.