Abstract

Stickies Monitoring for Improved Paper Recycling Efficiencies

Author(s): Jerome Andrew*, Bruce Sithole

Recovered paper and board has become a valuable raw material resource in the manufacture of paper, from both an economic and environmental sustainability point of view. However, the paper recycling process faces several challenges related to ‘stickies’ present in the recovered paper and board. Stickies refer to the tacky, hydrophobic, pliable organic materials present in recovered paper and board that are derived from pressure sensitive and hot melt adhesives. It is estimated that stickies related problems are costing United States paper manufacturers several hundred million dollars per year, mainly due to product quality problems such as holes, dark spots and reduced strength of the finished products. Run-ability problems such as sheet breaks that arise due to deposits on the wire, felts, press rolls, drying cylinders and calenders also result in long periods of downtime for cleaning. This study proposes new methodologies for the measurement of micro- and potential secondary stickies that are difficult to remove from paper recycling processes due to their small size.