Integrated biorefinery concept for Indian paper and pulp industry

The paper and pulp industry generates different waste from the processing of raw material to paper production. The characteristics of the waste vary with the process and can be categorized as liquid discharge, solid and gaseous. Among these the liquid discharge is the major concern as it possesses organic as well as toxic load. The existing treatment process doesn't focus on material recovery and hence the materials are lost with the waste stream. The integration of biochemical and thermochemical processes can aid in designing a paper and pulp waste biorefinery which will produce value-added chemicals, fuel, and energy. The concept of the biorefinery is based on the integration of the existing conversion processes to achieve material and energy recovery in the light of circular economy.