Preparation of Paper from Chrome Shavings A Sustainable Approach Towards Solid Waste Management

Abstract

Globally, the leather industry generates a vast amount of chrome shavings annually. Repurposing this abundant waste material in paper manufacturing presents economic and environmental benefits. Paper manufacturing predominantly relies on wood pulp as the primary raw material. Incorporating pulp derived from lingo-cellulosic fibers is widely recognized and valued within the paper industry. The present work has attempted to evaluate the suitability of chrome shavings to be used in combination with wood pulp in paper making. The chrome shavings were dechromed and transformed into pulp as dechromed shavings pulp (DCS). The manufacturing process involved blending DCS and wood pulp at different ratios to create the paper, including binders. The synthesized paper was tested for physical properties. The results showed that the properties such as grammage, bulk density, thickness, tear resistance, and opacity of the DCS blended paper increased with the concentration of the DCS pulp. However, there was a decrease in the brightness of the DCS-wood pulp blended paper, with an increase in DCS pulp. The findings suggest that the optimal condition for paper production using chrome shavings is 40:60 DCS pulp to wood pulp. This newly developed paper material exhibits potential application as a packaging material for leather and leather products. Our solution aims to create a sustainable loop within the leather industry.