Sustainable Fibre Initiative

ARC is working in a consortium with the forest industry, government and other interested research organizations on a sustainable fibre initiative. The goal of the program is to enhance fibre supply and utilization through value-added products, such as panel products and paper, fibre quality and optimum use, as well as forest practices and growth issues. 

Among current projects is a feasibility study on using "waste" material such as residues, wood fines and agricultural fibres in panel products such as particle board, medium density fibre board and structural board. Industry partners have already reported measurable impacts from applying preliminary results of this work. In the area of enhanced utilization, ARC has designed and installed a chemical pulp digester to test novel chemicals and/or processes on a small scale before running mill-scale trials. A current project examines ways to improve paper performance by blending different wood and non-wood fibre chemical pulps; non-wood fibres include hemp, flax and wheat straw. 

Fundamental research is also being conducted in collaboration with the University of Alberta and University of Toronto on the kinetics of pure non-wood fibre chemical pulping.

Alberta Research Council. Alberta Research Council 1998 Annual Report. Edmonton: Alberta Research Council, 1998 with permission from the Alberta Research Council.