The effect of release liner materials on adhesive contaminants, paper recycling and recycled paper properties

Abstract

Release liner waste material is found in post-consumer waste streams and is also a significant component of the preconsumer waste stream generated in the manufacturing of adhesive products. To date, very little has been reported pertaining to the behavior of release liner in paper recycling. In this study, the effect of the release liner material on the behavior of adhesive contaminants during laboratory pulping was investigated by dyeing the adhesives and the release liner with a blue dye and performing image analysis. The presence of release liner in the furnish caused a decrease in the size and an increase in the number of adhesive particles after pulping. The recyclability of the release liner was evaluated by processing a wastepaper furnish containing release liner and copy paper (no adhesive) through a laboratory pulping, screening, centrifugal cleaning and flotation processes. The release liner was removed with a laboratory screen and a laboratory centrifugal cleaner both with high efficiency but was not removed with a laboratory flotation device. The presence of residual release liner particles in recycled paper decreased the strength and printing properties of the recycled paper significantly.

Citation

Venditti, Richard; Gilbert, Richard; Zhang, Andy; Abubakr, Said. 2000. The effect of release liner materials on adhesive contaminants, paper recycling and recycled paper properties. 2000 proceedings, TAPPI Recycling Symposium : Mar. 5-8, 2000, Washington, D.C. Volume two. Atlanta, GA : TAPPI Press, 2000: Pages 579-591