BioPaper
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Traditional paper making relies heavily on trees, since the fiber found in wood pulp is used as the main constituent. As consumption of paper continues to increase in our world today, so does the problem of global deforestation.
Today, statistical figures show that two out of every five trees are cut for pulp. A forest the size of a football field is cut down somewhere in the world every 10 minutes.
In recent years, public awareness of carbon footprint reduction has been in the spotlight. Carbon emissions reduction in the paper industry cannot be fundamentally reversed until a viable alternative for wood pulp is found.
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That solution is now available with the advent of BioPaper™.
By not using any tree-based raw materials at all, BioPaper™ was developed to be a viable substitute for traditional paper, thereby reducing our dependence on the planets valuable forest resources.
BioPaper™ is the new environmentally sensible choice for most paper products. As it becomes increasingly main-stream in a wide range of printing and packaging applications, a feedback loop of awareness about ecological preservation will be formed within our communities.
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For every 1 ton of traditional tree-based paper being substituted with 1 ton of BioPaper™, the contribution towards protection of natural resources can be quantified as shown in the figure below.
1 Pound = 453.5 grams
1 gallon = 3.7 liters
1BTU = 1055.05 joules
ENERGY REDUCTION:
Because only mineral powder (calcium carbonate), High Density Polyethelene resin are used during BioPaper™ production, there are no washing and drying processes required, resulting in less energy consumption.
In comparison with the traditional paper manufacturing process, BioPaper™ does not require any water, strong industrial acids, bases, or bleach.
Because of this, there is neither the problem of waste water being discharged during production, nor the danger of releasing the pollutants into water streams.
Recyclable:
To recycle traditional paper, water is added to the collected waste paper and mechanically blended, in order to regenerate the pulp.
However, due to inks that remain on the waste paper, soaking and bleaching processes are required to remove the ink, in order to render the pulp reusable.
In addition, the entire process of recycling has to be broken down into many complicated stages, each of those resulting in significant amounts of waste water.
When disposed of, BioPaper™ can be collected as regular plastic material. After being pulverized and re-extruded as granules, it can then be used as an additive for the processing of polyethylene (PE) plastic. Suitable re-use applications include color plastic bags, flower pots, plastic cans etc.
After being used, BioPaper™ can also be incinerated. Out of the main mineral power and the small quantity of polymer contained in the product, only the polymer is burned off.
As the resin burns, the stone powder becomes detached, increasing the contact area between the resin and the air. This decelerates, but makes the combustion process of the resin more complete.
Because of this catalytic reaction, no black fumes (due to lack of oxygen and incomplete combustion) will be released.
In addition, the non-poisonous resin does not discharge any harmful gas when burned, and the amount of carbon dioxide released is minimal, making a contribution to lessening the impact of global warming.
Alternatively, if BioPaper™ is left in outdoor conditions, after approximately 6 months of being exposed to the sunlight, it fragments. Since CaCo3 is the main raw material, it has a minimal impact on the environment.
Also, BioPaper™ has the advantage over traditional paper in that it is resistant to yellow discoloration and insect damage. You can trust BioPaper™ to safeguard all your important documents and images.
For added protection, choose a BioPaper™ model with surface coating technology to further prevent the effect of ultraviolet light.
Features:
• High-resolution, high-color-saturation printing
• Better ink efficiency (only 70-80% amount of ink needed compared to cellulose paper)
• Suitable for offset, relief, letterpress and screen printing techniques
• Water-resistant, suitable for indoor as well as outdoor uses
• Fire-retardant, burns more slowly & produces less fumes
• More durable, tear- & insect-resistant similar to plastic-based solutions
Applications:
Labels, calandars, maps, notebooks, posters, deluxe shopping bags, art papers, plastic tiles, wallpapers,
billboards, illuminated signboards, heat-fusible with non-wovens.
Available Thickness:
80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180 μm, multiply by density factor of 1.2g/cm3 to obtain GSM figure
Available Form and Sizes:
• Sheet: 25x35", 28x40", 31x43", or your custom size
• Web Roll: Up to 120cm wide and 6,000 running meters, 2/3/6/7 cm core
Contact Richard Fine at BioPak on +61 2 8060 9000 or email rfine@biopak.com.au to see how BioPaper can work for you.
