journal article·2024-01-26Open access

Paper-Mill Wastes for Bioethanol Production in Relation to Circular Economy Concepts: A Review

Dafna Or-Chen, Yoram Gerchman, Hadas Mamane, Roi Peretz

Applied Sciences· Volume 14· Issue 3

Abstract

This review explores circular economy principles in regard to ethanol production from paper-mill sludge. Environmental sustainability and renewability over fossil fuels make second generation ethanol an attractive energy source in a rapidly growing population and consumption world. Paper sludge (PS), a by-product of the pulp and paper (P&P) industry, can no longer be recycled for paper production and is mainly disposed of in landfills. Therefore, it poses a major environmental challenge. However, it has shown potential as a valuable raw material for ethanol production, along with other pulp and paper products, due to its abundant availability and high cellulosic content. This waste-to-energy (WtE) technology for ethanol production is proposed as an alternative, aligning with circular economy concepts to maximize resource efficiency and minimize waste. This review underlines the circular economy aspects of bioethanol production within paper mill sludge management systems. Circular economy principles applied to ethanol production from PS offer a promising avenue for sustainable biofuel development that not only addresses waste management challenges but also enhances the overall environmental performance of biofuel production. Furthermore, economic benefits are described, highlighting the potential for job creation and community development.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Biofuel production and bioconversion · Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production · Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel

Oranim College of Education, Tivon 3600600, Israel

The Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa 3103301, Israel

References (100+)

Show source-provided references
1. Household solid waste composition focusing on hazardous waste10.15244/pjoes/61011 ↗
2. Kaza, S., Yao, L., Bhada-Tata, P., and van Woerden, F. (2018, September 20). What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050, World Bank Group. Available online: https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/.10.1596/978-1-4648-1329-0 ↗
3. Potential for using municipal solid waste as a resource for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)10.1016/j.ijggc.2017.11.007 ↗
4. Waste office paper: A potential feedstock for cellulase production by a novel strain Bacillus velezensis ASN110.1016/j.wasman.2018.08.014 ↗
5. Making cardboard and paper recycling more sustainable: Recycled paper sludge for energy production and water-treatment applications10.1007/s12649-020-01117-y ↗
6. Feasible process development and techno-economic evaluation of paper sludge to bioethanol conversion: South African paper mills scenario10.1016/j.renene.2016.02.017 ↗
7. Kraft pulping of Eucalyptus globulus as a pretreatment for bioethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation10.4067/S0717-97072012000200012 ↗
8. Exploring new horizons for paper recycling: A review of biomaterials and biorefinery feedstocks derived from wastepaper10.1016/j.cogsc.2018.03.003 ↗
9. U.S (2000, June 22). Congress, Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000, Washington, DC, Available online: https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/articles/biomass-research-and-development-act-2000.
10. Ozonation of tannic acid to model biomass pretreatment for bioethanol production10.1016/j.biortech.2017.05.204 ↗
11. Short ozonation of lignocellulosic waste as energetically favorable pretreatment10.1007/s12155-019-9962-3 ↗
12. Farooq, R., and Ahmad, Z. (2016). Pulp Mill Wastewater: Characteristics and Treatment, in Biological Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery, InTech Open.10.5772/62795 ↗
13. Waste-to-energy is compatible and complementary with recycling in the circular economy10.1007/s10098-019-01686-0 ↗
14. In pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 7: Will biofuels be reliable?10.1016/j.rser.2016.11.074 ↗
15. Rosales-Calderon, O., and Arantes, V. (2019). A review on commercial-scale high-value products that can be produced alongside cellulosic ethanol. Biotechnol. Biofuels, 12.10.1186/s13068-019-1529-1 ↗
16. Deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production: Recent advances and future prospects10.1016/j.fuel.2022.125109 ↗
17. Mandil, C., and Shihab-Eldin, A. (2010, March 10). Assessment of Biofuels Potential and Limitations, International Energy Forum. Available online: https://www.ief.org/_resources/files/events/biofuels-assessment-report/ief-biofuels-report.pdf.
18. Suhr, M., Klein, G., Kourti, I., Gonzalo, M.R., Santonja, G.G., Roudier, S., and Sancho, L.D. (2015, May 19). Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Production of Pulp, Paper and Board, Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control). JRC Science and Policy Reports. Available online: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC95678.
19. Assessment of emerging energy-efficiency technologies for the pulp and paper industry: A technical review10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.12.116 ↗
20. (2023, March 24). Statista Website, Distribution of Paper Imports Worldwide in 2021, by Country. Available online: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1073508/global-share-paper-imports-by-country/.
21. (2024, January 08). Statista Website, Production Volume of Paper and Paperboard in Selected Countries Worldwide in 2010 and 2022. Available online: https://www.statista.com/statistics/240598/production-of-paper-and-cardboard-in-selected-countries/.
22. Branco, R.H.R., Serafim, L.S., and Xavier, A.M.R.B. (2019). Second generation bioethanol production: On the use of pulp and paper industry wastes as feedstock. Fermentation, 5.10.3390/fermentation5010004 ↗
23. Berg, P., and Lingqvist, O. (2019, August 07). Pulp, Paper, and Packaging in the Next Decade: Transformational Change. McKinsey Co. Available online: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/paper-forest-products-and-packaging/our-insights/pulp-paper-and-packaging-in-the-next-decade-transformational-change#/.
24. Influence of fiber properties on the network strength of softwood and hardwood kraft pulp fibers from different stages of a bleaching sequence10.1081/WCT-200046238 ↗
25. Effect of papermaking conditions on the ink absorption and overprint accuracy of paper10.15376/biores.15.1.1397-1406 ↗
26. Fiber dimensions, lignin and cellulose content of various plant materials and their suitability for paper production10.1016/j.indcrop.2003.10.006 ↗
27. Comparison of wood and non-wood market pulps for tissue paper application
28. Kazi, S.N. (2018). Pulp and Paper Processing, InTech Open.10.5772/intechopen.68843 ↗
29. Worku, L.A., Bachheti, A., Bachheti, R.K., Rodrigues Reis, C.E., and Chandel, A.K. (2023). Agricultural residues as raw materials for pulp and paper production: Overview and applications on membrane fabrication. Membranes, 13.10.3390/membranes13020228 ↗
30. Inhibitory effects of lignin on enzymatic hydrolysis: The role of lignin chemistry and molecular weight10.1016/j.renene.2018.02.079 ↗
31. Schaechter, M. (2009). Forest Products: Biotechnology in Pulp and Paper Processing, in Encyclopedia of Microbiology, Elsevier.
32. Sixta, H. (2006). Handbook of Pulp, Wiley.10.1002/9783527619887 ↗
33. Ahmad, E., and Pant, K.K. (2018). Waste Biorefinery—Potential and Perspective, Elsevier.
34. Polyoxometalates in oxidative delignification of chemical pulps: Effect on lignin10.3390/ma3031888 ↗
35. CEPI (2021, January 01). Pulp and Paper Industry: Definitions and Concepts. Available online: https://www.cepi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Cepi-Definitions-and-Concepts_2021-compressed.pdf.
36. Bajpai, P. (2016). Pulp and Paper Industry—Energy Conservation, Elsevier.10.1016/B978-0-12-811099-7.00002-2 ↗
37. Combining activated sludge process with membrane separation to obtain recyclable quality water from paper mill effluent10.1007/s10098-014-0836-2 ↗
38. Estimation and Control of the Kappa Number in a Pulp Cooking Process10.1016/S1474-6670(17)52443-X ↗
39. Małachowska, E., Dubowik, M., Lipkiewicz, A., Przybysz, K., and Przybysz, P. (2020). Analysis of cellulose pulp characteristics and processing parameters for efficient paper production. Sustainability, 12.10.3390/su12177219 ↗
40. Friebel, C., Bischof, R.H., Schild, G., Fackler, K., and Gebauer, I. (2019). Effects of caustic extraction on properties of viscose grade dissolving pulp. Processes, 7.10.3390/pr7030122 ↗
41. Effect of introducing ozone prior to elemental chlorine free bleaching of wheat straw pulp on pulp, paper and effluent properties10.35812/CelluloseChemTechnol.2019.53.12 ↗
42. Application of an experimental design to modeling of ozone bleaching stage in TCF processes10.1080/01919510490507685 ↗
43. Suess, H.U. (2010). Pulp Bleaching Today, De Gruyter.10.1515/9783110218244 ↗
44. Physical properties and printability characteristics of mechanical printing paper with LWC
45. Smook, G.A. (1989). Handbook for Pulp and Paper Technologists, TAPPI Press.
46. Basic effects of recycling on pulp properties
47. Fillers for Papermaking: A Review of their Properties, Usage Practices, and their Mechanistic Role10.15376/biores.11.1.2886-2963 ↗
48. Caulfield, D., and Gunderson, D. (1988, January 19–21). Paper Testing and Strength Characteristics. Proceedings of the TAPPI Proceedings: 1988 Paper Preservation Symposium, Washington, DC, USA.
49. Modification of papermaking grade fillers: A brief review10.15376/biores.4.3.1190-1209 ↗
50. Quantification of chemical contaminants in the paper and board fractions of municipal solid waste10.1016/j.wasman.2016.03.008 ↗
51. CEPI (2020, July 23). Key Statistics 2019: European Pulp & Paper Industry. Available online: https://www.cepi.org/key-statistics-2019/.
52. EPA (2001, September 01). Pulping and Bleaching System NESHAP for the Pulp and Paper Industry: A Plain English Description, Available online: https://nepis.epa.gov/.
53. Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2015, June 01). Growth within: A Circular Economy Vision for a Competitive Europe. Available online: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/growth-within-a-circular-economy-vision-for-a-competitive-europe.
54. Moe, S.T., and Roring, A. (2001, October 04). Theory and Practice of Flotation Deinking, in Research Forum on Recycling, Proceedings, 55–60, 6th Research Forum on Recycling, Magog, Que., Canada. Available online: https://iranarze.ir/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/4390-English.pdf.
55. Hydrodynamics and recovered papers deinking in an ozone flotation column10.1016/j.cep.2009.10.007 ↗
56. Trends and strategies of ozone application in environmental problems10.1590/S0100-40422006000200023 ↗
57. Bajpai, P. (2014). Recycling and Deinking of Recovered Paper, Recycling and Deinking of Recovered Paper, Elsevier.10.1016/B978-0-12-416998-2.00017-9 ↗
58. CEPI (2013, November 29). En 643 European List of Standard Grades of Paper and Board for Recycling. Available online: https://prn.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CEPI_EN-643_brochure_FINAL_0.pdf.
59. Maslennikov, A., Peretz, R., Vadivel, V.K., and Mamane, H. (2022). Recycled Paper Sludge (RPS)-Derived Nanocellulose: Production, Detection and Water Treatment Application. Appl. Sci., 12.10.3390/app12063077 ↗
60. Nanocellulose production from recycled paper mill sludge using ozonation pretreatment followed by recyclable maleic acid hydrolysis10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.04.003 ↗
61. Enhanced bioethanol production from waste paper through separate hydrolysis and fermentation10.1007/s12649-018-0400-0 ↗
62. Conversion of recycled paper sludge to ethanol by SHF and SSF using Pichia stipitis10.1016/j.biombioe.2007.10.011 ↗
63. Evaluation of biotechnological processes to obtain ethanol from recycled paper sludge10.1007/s10163-015-0445-0 ↗
64. Urban solid waste management in the developing world with emphasis on India: Challenges and opportunities10.1007/s11157-014-9352-4 ↗
65. Status and challenges of municipal solid waste management in India: A review10.1080/23311843.2016.1139434 ↗
66. Revisiting estimates of municipal solid waste generation per capita and their reliability10.1007/s10163-015-0355-1 ↗
67. Municipal solid waste in Brazil: A review10.1177/0734242X17735375 ↗
68. Statista website (2024, January 22). Production of Processed Paper and Cardboard in China from January 2020 to March 2023. Available online: https://www.statista.com/statistics/226467/production-of-paper-and-cardboard-in-china-by-month/.
69. Optimization of municipal solid waste management in Port Said—Egypt10.1016/j.wasman.2005.05.005 ↗
70. Life cycle assessment of the French municipal solid waste incineration sector10.1016/j.wasman.2018.08.037 ↗
71. Waste Management in Germany—Development to a Sustainable Circular Economy?10.1016/j.proenv.2016.07.001 ↗
72. A multicriteria facility location model for municipal solid waste management in North Greece10.1016/j.ejor.2006.09.021 ↗
73. Clean India (Swacha Bharat) through Reuse and Recycling of Wastes
74. Comparative life cycle assessment of different municipal solid waste management scenarios in Iran10.1016/j.rser.2015.06.037 ↗
75. The state of municipal solid waste management in Israel10.1177/0734242X18770248 ↗
76. Development of a municipal solid waste management decision support tool for Naples, Italy10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.074 ↗
77. Mexico city’s municipal solid waste characteristics and composition analysis
78. An assessment of the current municipal solid waste management system in Lahore, Pakistan10.1177/0734242X14545373 ↗
79. Municipal solid waste disposal in Portugal10.1016/j.wasman.2006.03.009 ↗
80. Waste-to-energy potential in the western province of Saudi Arabia
81. Challenges for municipal solid waste management practices in Vietnam10.12777/wastech.1.1.2013.17-21 ↗
82. A comparison of municipal solid waste management in Berlin and Singapore10.1016/j.wasman.2009.11.017 ↗
83. Municipal solid waste management and waste-to-energy in the context of a circular economy and energy recycling in Europe10.1016/j.energy.2017.11.128 ↗
84. Current and future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the management of municipal solid waste in the eThekwini Municipality—South Africa10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.05.118 ↗
85. Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Istanbul, Turkey10.1002/ep.11640 ↗
86. Modeling and comparative assessment of municipal solid waste gasification for energy production10.1016/j.wasman.2013.04.008 ↗
87. Assessing the environmental sustainability of energy recovery from municipal solid waste in the UK10.1016/j.wasman.2016.02.010 ↗
88. EPA (2019, November 01). Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2017 Facts Sheet, Available online: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/advancing-sustainable-materials-management.
89. Understanding recovery boiler smelt runoff phenomena10.32964/TJ14.1.41 ↗
90. Bajpai, P. (2016). Pulp and Paper Industry-Chemicals, Elsevier.10.1016/B978-0-12-811099-7.00002-2 ↗
91. Waste management from pulp and paper production in the European Union10.1016/j.wasman.2008.02.002 ↗
92. Valorizing recycled paper sludge by a bioethanol production process with cellulase recycling10.1016/j.biortech.2016.06.004 ↗
93. Show, K.Y., and Guo, X. (2012). Recent Advances in Paper Mill Sludge Management, in Industrial Waste, InTech Open.
94. An investigation on use of paper mill sludge in brick manufacturing10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.05.087 ↗
95. Wastes from pulp and paper mills—A review of generation and recycling alternatives10.1590/0366-69132018643712414 ↗
96. Oladejo, J., Shi, K., Luo, X., Yang, G., and Wu, T. (2019). A review of sludge-to-energy recovery methods. Energies, 12.10.3390/en12010060 ↗
97. Nanofiltration of biologically treated effluents from the pulp and paper industry10.1016/j.memsci.2005.07.031 ↗
98. Minimization of excess sludge production for biological wastewater treatment10.1016/S0043-1354(03)00441-X ↗
99. The treatment of pulp and paper mill effluent: A review10.1016/S0960-8524(00)00060-2 ↗
100. Binderless fiberboard made from primary and secondary pulp and paper sludge