Enzymatic Deinking

In recent years, the demand for the use of postconsumer paper products in the production of new paper products has risen dramatically. Some of this demand has been driven by politics and some by consumer demand. The use of secondary fibers in producing different grades of paper has increased greatly over the past two decades particularly as a result of development in deinking processes. The consumption rate of waste paper (secondary fiber) in different countries are given in Table 6.1. The worldwide consumption amounts to 37% (110 million tons) in 1995 and likely to increase to 55% by the year 2000.1 Currently, 145 deinking facilities are operating, under construction or announced for construction in the USA.2 Worldwide, deinking capacity is expected to rise to 31 million tons by 2001, with particularly large expansions for newsprint, printing, and tissue grades.3