Paper products have been used for thousands of years for art and communication purposes. The presented project describes the development of a unique greeting card art paper product, comprised of a card stock with a basis weight of 150 g/m2 having a purple color tone and inlay paper product with a basis weight of 100 g/m2. The inlay paper product should have a gras fiber content that is visualized by a tree cut out in the cover paper. The inlay paper should be printable with a standard ink-jet printer as well as be able to write on with a fountain pen. Both paper grades were developed with a hand sheet study and then upscaled to a small 225 mm wide laboratory Fourdrinier paper machine. The produced cover paper and inlay paper had a basis weight of 152.20 g/m2 for the cover paper having a purple color tone and 102.64 g/m2 for the inlay paper, meeting all mechanical and optical properties as required. The finished cover and inlay paper product was converted into DIN A5 and DIN A6 card stock, including cutting out the tree image from the cover paper using a laser cutter.

This review paper gives an overview Hemp known as Cannabis Sativa, which has been cultivated and used as an agricultural crop centuries before the Common Area. Hemp has been described as the billion-dollar plant in 1938 but has lost its value in the U.S. and the World due to regulatory and legislature issues since then. Hemp has seen as new push In the U.S. and other parts of the world with the introduction of legislature in the late 20th century in Europe and other parts of the world and recently in the U.S with the 2018 Farm Bill which allows on a federal level to grow Hemp, pending on individual state regulations, allowing Hemp to become a new sustainable crop for many future applications. However, Hemp research in these areas has stalled due to the complexity of the law. Hemp is used in many counties today that do not have as strict regulations as the U.S. and Europe in a variety of applications such as such as beauty products, pharmaceuticals, carpets, industrial insulation materials, paper products, cooking oil, personal care products, and textiles as well as biofuel application to replace petroleum-based fuels and gases due to its low lignin and high cellulose level. In most European countries, and the U.S. cultivars with a level below 0.3% THC are allowed. But cultivation is generally subject to reporting. The use of Hemp plants with higher levels is strictly forbidden in most countries. Usage of Hemp fibers as sustainable environmentally friendly fiber source for energy and industrial applications are slowly moving forwards at present time since there is barely practical large-scale research and pilot installations available about its industrial application potential.

Hemp has been a longstanding material choice for textile creations. As far back as early Chinese civilizations humans have been using hemp for items including paper, clothing, rope, and various other household items. As trading moved westward, more civilizations began to pick up on cultivating hemp for textile uses. This was easily done due to the simplistic growing conditions necessary for hemp. Items made from processed hemp have since been found and collected from all over the globe and are now preserved in history and art museums. These items began getting recognition by art communities in more recent years. After World War II fiber art became a recognized art medium instead of its previous classification of utilitarian craftwork. Since then, fiber art has flourished, and it is celebrated in art museums and similar works worldwide. Now, old and new items and textiles utilizing hemp are preserved through art museums and collections.

Process steps of flocculation, filtration and centrifugation are investigated to better utilizing existing storage capacity of agriculturally based effluents and at the same time minimize the environmental impact of agricultural operations. As flocculant Ca(OH)2 as a 20% solution, FeCl3 as a 30% solution, and Al2(SO4)3 as a 20% solution were used. The solids content of the liquid manure, having a preadjusted pH of 9.5, resulted in a solids reduction of up to 46.8% with centrifugation. For all flocculants, the 20% Ca(OH)2 solution, the 30% FeCl3 solution, and the 20% Al2(SO4)3 solution resulted in a decrease of the solids content of the liquid manure. FeCl3 as flocculant reduced the solids content by 45%, Al2(SO4)3 and Ca(OH)2 as flocculant by 21.0% after the second centrifugation process. Filtration as the fourth process step reduced the solids content further by 31.6% for the Ca(OH)2 flocculant, whereas for FeCl3 and Al2(SO4)3 as flocculant and increase of the solids content by 18.2% and 2.5% respectively resulted. The flocculant Ca(OH)2 outperformed FeCl3 and Al2(SO4)3 by 71.2%, 65.4%, and 56.9% respectively. A Maximum COD removal rate of 47/8% could be realized without flocculant and 70.6% COD removal rate could be utilized using FeCl3 as flocculant applying a second centrifugation process.

Growing population and industrial complexes require municipalities to initiate costly upgrades of their wastewater treatment facilities in order to protect the environment and nearby water bodies. This research project explores if a process combination of centrifugation, flocculation and filtration could increase the treatment capability of a wastewater treatment plant. For all wastewater samples the first process step of centrifugation decreased the total solids content by 23.5%, the chemical oxygen demand between 5.0% and 30.0%, and the total phosphorus content by 20.7% and 32.1% in the supernatant. Flocculation with Ca(OH)2, FeCl3 and Al2(SO4)3 followed by centrifugation increases the solids content of the supernatant, but decreased the chemical oxygen demand and total phosphorus content of up to 55.0% and 95% respectively. Filtration increased the total removal of chemical oxygen demand up to 70% and total removal of phosphorus to 96.4%. The best removal process for Total phosphorus was achieved using Ca(OH)2 as a flocculant due to a precipitation process that forms calcium phosphate Ca(PO4)2. Based on the results a maximum removal rate for chemical oxygen demand of and total phosphorus of 70% and 96.4% respectively could be achieved, which could make future wastewater treatment more effective.

To investigate if decentralized wastewater treatment systems impact on the environment performance can be improved, a Field Bio-tower Tank Septic system was designed, installed on an existing 1,500-gal (5678 l) decentralized wastewater treatment system. The system was started up during a 14-day start-up phase, followed by a 130-day test phase. The system was operated at an average hydraulic retention time of 16.7 days based on a 90 gal (204.4 l) daily influent wastewater flow. The systems recirculation flow for the bio-tower was 22.6 l/min (6 gal/min) for the start-up phase and 40.0 l/min (10.6 gal/min) for the test period with a corresponding recirculation of the entire septic tank from 5.7 to 10.1 times a day respectively. During the testing period a daily average temperature of 19.3°C (66.7°F) and an average rainfall of 5 l/m² was observed. The FBST system operated at an average influent pH level and temperature of 8.6 and 22.0°C. The average effluent pH and temperature was 8.5 of 20.9°C. The installed system reduced on average the influent TS from 79151 mg/l to 43021 mg/l and showed an average reduction of the TDS from 36424 mg/l to 21965 mf/l. The TSS and VSS was reduced on average from 94.1 mg/l to 69.9 mg/l and 89.0 mg/l to 64.9 mg/l. NH3-N content was reduced from 57.5 mg/l in the influent to 53.4 mg/l in the effluent. The average BOD and COD was reduced from the average influent value of 88.2 mg/l and 318.2 mg/l to 66.8 mg/l and 256.2 mg/l respectively. However, at the end of the 130-day test period BOD and COD values were the lowest at 15.5 mg/l and 56.0 mg/l respectively, indicating bacteria cultures are well established and the system operation of the FBTS system is mostly constant. This research showed that the FBST system can improve operations of a DWWTS system significantly reducing the effluent load over 10 times compared to the influent load of the system.

Raw material, energy, water, and additive cost are challenges for today’s board manufacturing and new sustainable solutions are needed to produce paper products with an favorable environmental footprint. A laboratory Fourdrinier paper machine study manufactured a board product with a targeted basis weight of 80 g/m² without and with the addition of ground calcium carbonate at a targeted filler level of 10%. Nano fibrillated cellulose produced from recycled old corrugated containerboard with a Valley Beater at a Canadian Standard Freeness level of 40 ml was added at 4% based on oven dry basis weight. Results revealed an increased ash and fine retention as well as an increased burst Index, short span compression strength, and tear index for the base paper as well as with and without ground calcium carbonate addition.

Today energy and clean water is a requirement in all societies worldwide to run productive processes. This affects the natural environment negatively and requires establishing more environmentally sustainable processes to decrease dependency and preserve the natural environment. In this research approach a laboratory anaerobic aerobic effluent treatment system was designed, built, and started up with wastewater. After start-up the system was operated with prepared milk waste, liquid cow manure and wastewater at a hydraulic retention time of 3 days and 6 days. The laboratory anaerobic aerobic system was able to degrade the chemical oxygen demand, total solids and total suspended solids of all three influent liquids up to 95% and 98% for the 3-day and 6-day hydraulic retention time. Maximum total solids removal was 87.89% and 92.43% for the 3-day and 6-day hydraulic retention time. Total suspended solids removal yielded a maximum of 99.87 and 99.93% for the 3-day and 6-day hydraulic retention time. The anaerobic sludge blanket reactor of the system operated at a temperature of 38°C and a pH between 7.5 and 8.2 achieved a biogas CH4 content of 65% ± 5% and a maximum total biogas production of 2.23 ml/h for the milk waste at a 3-day hydraulic retention time and a minimum biogas production of 1.36 ml/h for the waste water the 3-day and 6-day HRT respectively. The operation of the designed laboratory anaerobic aerobic effluent treatment system showed that it is capable of reducing the effluent loading of a variety of waste streams as well as producing biogas that can be converted into bio-energy.

Prior to the establishment of the United Sates Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Water Act signed into law in 1972, water treatment was done on a minimal level or was not present at all. Since then, scientists strive to improve and advance new and existing water treatment processes that water can be discharged safely into water bodies. Constructed wetlands as engineered waste water treatment systems are used today as a final waste water treatment before the treated waste water is released into a water body. Surface flow and sub terranean flow constructed wetland options exist and are used for the treatment of municipal, agricultural and industrial waste water containing pollutants such as human waste, soap, fats, chemicals, and pharmaceutical compounds. They can be operated all year round (24/7) at temperatures that might exceed 35°C (95°F) and as low as around -26°C (-15°F). Constructed wetland systems in general depend on the quality of pretreatment for the inflow waste water, the hydrology and the carrier material as well as the climate, the vegetation and the physical and technical properties of the plant-based sewage treatment plants themselves, as well as the operational principle applied to the constructed wetland system. Constructed wetland operated as surface and or sub terranean flow mode can be a cost-effective and low-energy consuming alternative that requires only minimal operational effort. Experience shows that sub-terranean flow surface constructed wetland can be a long-term cost-effective solution that operates stable in various hot and cold weather conditions for decades with minimal operational and maintenance effort.

Since paper has been invented in Chana in 105 BC by Cai Lun it has transformed human live. Sustainable developments favor paper as packaging media to replace plastic packaging materials. Laboratory tests were performed on commercially available packaging papers for the assessment of mechanical properties and vapor transmission rates that might affect the packaging of perishable goods to further develop paper-based packaging materials. Research results of the mechanical paper properties values cannot be directly related and compared between the different packaging papers analyzed due to their different basis weight, composition and intended use. Research results revealed that the application of a coating material can affect paper properties negatively but decrease the vapor transmission rate measured at 23°C and 50% relative humidity below 1.06 g for wax coating and 0.3 g for polyvinyl coatings. Parchment type paper products without coating can achieve a water vapor transmission rate of 1.35 g per 240 hours. an important factor for packaging perishable goods. Therefore, packaging paper are specifically designed for their intended use and application including the application of a coating to the paper material to keep perishable goods longer fresh.

Lignocellulosic biomass are plentiful low-cost resources available in nature having significant bioenergy potential with a low environmental burden. Sawdust, one of the major low-value byproducts of wood processing facilities, is such an abundant feedstock. Brewer‘s spent grains (BSG), a major byproduct of the brewing industry, is another high potential feedstock for bioenergy production. The objective of this work is the co-production of biogas and hydrochar using integrated anaerobic digestion (AD) and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) processes from a mixture of sawdust (from sugar maple) and brewer‘s spent grains (BSG). A two-step mechanical hydrothermal pretreatment, combining liquid hot water pretreatment followed by disk milling, was used to reduce the biomass recalcitrance. Various mixtures of raw and pretreated biomass were investigated for biogas production AD for 21 days. The pretreatment was effective in increasing the biogas yield during the AD process. In the case of sawdust, the biogas yield increased by 3.3 folds compared to raw biomass. The co-digestion resulted in high biogas yield, with the maximum biogas yield of 611.1 mL/g VS for a mixture of raw BSG and pretreated sawdust at a 1:4 ratio. The proximate and ultimate analysis of hydrochar obtained from the hydrothermal carbonization of the digestatewere performed to identify the carbon densification and to study the thermogravimetric analysis.

The presented research project describes the development of a copy paper product from recycled egg carton fiber material. The development included laboratory handsheet development and machine-made paper product produced on a 12-inch (304 mm) wide laboratory Fourdrinier paper machine which was operated at a speed of 6.4 ft/min (1.95 m/min). The final machine-made paper had a recycled egg carton fiber content of 70% and 30% content of northern bleached softwood Kraft fiber as reinforcement fiber material to avoid sheet breaks on the laboratory Fourdrinier paper machine. The produced machine-made paper appeared to be visibly brighter to the eye with the addition of the northern bleached softwood Kraft pulp compared to paper without softwood fibers. Printing tests using an office type laser printer showed good results. The produced machine-made paper had a basis weight of 81 g/m² and a solids content of 99.27%. After conditioning at a temperature of 23°C ± 1°C and a humidity of 50% the basis weight increased to 92.13 g/m², with a caliper of 186 μm. The tensile index and tear index was 93.20 Nm/g and 9.78 mN/gm² respectively, opacity measured 96.52%, and brightness measured at 37.09%. It was observed that REC pulp fiber material can absorbs more moisture during conditioning which leads to increased basis weight and thickness due to swelling of the fiber material.

Each paper grade, especially art papers have their own unique requirements by the artist using the paper in regard to mechanical integrity, surface topography, optical appearance and printability based on the unique artistic process applied during printing. Wheat straw fiber, a left over product from agricultural operations, can be used in many papermaking grades if properly processed prior to papermaking. A wheat straw containing art paper for artistic water color, oil, and encaustic (wax) painting applications was development and produced with a 10% and 15% northern bleached softwood content using a 12-inch (304 mm) wide laboratory scale paper machine, operated at a speed of 3.76 ft/min (1.14 m/min) with and without operating a calendar. The basis weight of the paper product was 350 g/m² with a caliper of 1050 μm to 1640 μm, The paper products burst load in psi ranged between 2.49 and 4.71. Tensile peak load measured in kilogram-force (kgf) per 15mm wide testing strip ranged from 4.08 to 9.32 for the machine direction and 1.96 to 4.74 for the cross machine direction. The roughness range of the wheat straw art paper was 2909 ml to 2963 ml for the top side and 2880 ml to 2954 ml for the bottom side of the paper. The ISO brightness and opacity of the yellowish wheat straw art paper was at 22.74% and 100.00%, The ISO color value was for the L*, a*, b* Hunter color scale 69.46%, 02.02, and 15.47 respectively. The finished art paper product met the expectations by the artists. The paper was used for several encaustic art studio projects.

Beverage coaster paper represents a specialty paper grade, which has its origin in the late 1880s. Its primary function is to serve as a barrier between the beverage and the table surface by soaking up the condensing water of the cold beverage and protect the wooden table surface as well as the customer from droplets of the condensing water. A beverage coaster grade was developed utilizing thermos mechanical pulp, bleached softwood and bleached hardwood Kraft pulp. Manufactured on a 48-inch (1219 mm) wide small commercial Fourdrinier paper machine with an oven dry basis weight basis weight of 473.6, and thickness of 886 µm. The water absorbance achieved a value 784 g/m² for the top side and 693 g/m² for the wire side of the paper. The smoothness value was 2734 ml/min for the top and 2784 ml/min for the wire side The burst index was measured at 0.56 kPa*m²/g, a tear index of 14.68 mNm²/g for the machine direction and 10.78 mNm²/g for the cross machine direction. The manufactured beverage coaster paper had no visible signs of dirt and a yellowish white color, an opacity a value of 100%, a brightness of 79.14% and a whiteness of 54.76%. The yellowish white colour had an 95.24% value for the L*, -1.62 for the a*, and 7.23 for the b*.

With a growing global population and the constant striving for prosperity, comes a growing demand for energy. Biogas and its upgrading to biomethane are prosperous and sustainable energy sources that even allow the use of the natural gas infrastructure. Biogas production using different bacterial cultures for wastewater treatment can be decentralized and without high costs. This aim of this research is focused on the co-digestion of wastewater biosolids and bacteria from a commercial activated sludge reactor, and customary bacteria used for the treatment of septic systems sludge. The research was performed with a designed laboratory anaerobic fermentation system at 35-40°C (95-104°F). The biomass-gas turnover rate is on average 170 l/kg for activated sludge reactor bacteria and 100 l/kg septic system bio bacteria. The application of wastewater treatment bacteria as basis for anaerobic fermentation can be considered beneficial for biogas production within wastewater treatment plants.

Replacement of fossil-based resources with renewable resources to offset the use for heating and electricity production are important for today’s social and economic growth and energy security. Anaerobic fermentation and the production of biogas generates an alternative, carbon-neutral, renewable fuel that easily can be generated from local, low-cost organic waste materials and used as replacement for fossil fuel based gaseous products. The anaerobic digestion experiments ran for 240 hours at a temperature of 39°C ± 2°C for the duration of the experiment. The combined biogas production of hemp residues and hemp stems showed that the average reduced volatile solids content for hemp residue 1 and 2 was 0.98 g with a combined biogas production of 231.31 ml/g. For the hemp stems 1 and 2 the average reduced volatile solids content was 4.06 g and the combined biogas production was 64.90 ml/g respectively. Cow manure showed average reduced volatile solids content of 0.76 g and a combined biogas production of 305.69 ml/g respectively. The biogas content without CO2 was 62% for the manure samples, 55% for the hemp stems, and 57% for the hemp residues. The application of co-digestion utilizing cow manure and hemp-based waste material, as feedstock could be an option, helping to increase energy security, biological diversity, and sustainability.

The use of aseptic packaging creates many opportunities around the world to replace plastic based packaging of liquid and food-based containers in the near future. This will lead to a cleaner environment, less pollution within the air and the sea, and will help stimulate growth within the economy. Soon the use of aseptic packaging containers will be global which will help decrease the amount of pollution along with the number of landfills throughout the world. Many of the world regions highlighted in this paper are decreasing their plastic usage while increasing their recycled product production. As societal values are shifting more towards green materials and sustainable living, the general consumer is becoming more educated and aware of their ability to impact companies and government views, and are placing a larger value on sustainable, recyclable packaging. Aseptic packaging will be an important part of consumerism and the growing market contributes to a more sustainable, greener world as the efficiency of the recycling and production processes using aseptic packaging materials will improve over the coming years, allowing more fiber, plastic and aluminum to be recovered and used in the creation of new APC products.

Energy is required in all societies worldwide. This led to a dependency of fossil fuel. During uncertain times fossil fuel supply become highly politically and used as an influencing source. This requires establishing a more environmentally friendly processes to decrease dependency. To produce biogas from municipal, agricultural and industrial waste a laboratory benchtop up-flow sludge blanket reactor with a operating volume of 2850 ml was designed build, started up, and operated using prepared municipal wastewater and separated liquid cow manure at a hydraulic retention time of 1 day, 3 days and 6 days after an 120 h adjustment time prior to testing. While using wastewater as influent, the laboratory benchtop up-flow sludge blanket reactor system was not able to reduce the chemical oxygen demand content significantly. Especially at a high volumetric flow rate for the 1-day hydraulic retention time. The produced gas amount decreased from 0.59 ±0.07 (ml/h)/L at a hydraulic retention rate of 6 days to 0.042 ±0.04 (ml/h)/L. The fluctuating influent chemical oxygen demand of 25 ±1 mg/L to 74 ±15 mg/L resulted in a stable effluent concentration of 39 ml/L and 45 ±11 mg/L respectively. The laboratory benchtop up-flow sludge blanket reactor system with separated liquid cow manure showed a higher chemical oxygen demand degradation capability but resulted in higher chemical oxygen demand in the effluent. The influent chemical oxygen demand of 308 ±42 mg/L was broken downs to 59 ±1 mg/L at a hydraulic retention time of 6 days and to 114 ±5 mg/L for 1 day retention time. The biogas production result in a stable gas production rate of 0.27 ±0.02 (ml/h)/L through all three hydraulic retention times. For both the wastewater and separated liquid cow manure operation the biogas without carbon dioxide was between 55 and 65%. The results show that the laboratory benchtop up-flow sludge blanket reactor system can reduce high chemical oxygen demand in wastewater and separated liquid cow manure. However, a minimum feed level having a minimal chemical oxygen demand above 36 mg/L is needed, otherwise, the active bacterial mass contributes to the effluent level as seen for the influent level below 36 mg/L and 25 mg/L which resulted in a minimum effluent level of 39 mg/L for a hydraulic retention time of 3-days and 6-days.

Plastics are one of the most widely and abundant substances in today's society. Worldwide the usage of low-density polyethylene bags create pollution on land and in the oceans, especially when they break down in macro and micro plastics. On all continents, governments try to establish solutions on how to fight plastic pollution form shopping bags by banning their use, implant fees for their usage and replace plastic bags with a more renewable material. Paper bags are a valid solution, especially when manufactured from recycled materials. It is estimated, that In the United States, enough material is available to cover the replacement of the 100 billion plastic bags uses yearly with 100% recycled paper bags. The required investment is roughly 6 billion dollars for new paper machines and mills, creating up to 10,000 new jobs in states where the paper machines would be installed and operated.

Grape cultivation and wine production has been in practice since 7000 BC in ancient China. Today, top wine producing countries are France, Italy, and Spain, including the United States. New York State is the third largest wine producing state in the US, with over 28 million gallons produced in 2017. Wine pomace, the residue from wine making after pressing could be used for the production of electricity and heat replacing fossil resources. One alternative route could be anaerobic fermentation of wine making residues for the production of electricity and heat from the produced biogas. This research investigated the cumulative biogas production from anaerobic fermentation of differently prepared red wine grape pomace. Red wine grape pomace was used as received, prepared by blending using a laboratory benchtop blender, refined using a Valley beater apparatus, and cooking the refined red wine grape pomace for 2 hours at 98°C. The pH of each solution was adjusted to 8.50 with 20% Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) solution. 300 g of each solution and 30 g of bacteria inoculate was filled into a 500 ml Erlenmeyer flask that contained a magnetic stirrer. The anaerobic fermentation experiment have been run in duplicate, lasted for up to 170 hours, at a temperature of 39°C ± 2°C. Untreated red wine grape pomace had the lowest cumulative biogas production of 93 ml and 151 ml. Blended grapes showed a cumulative biogas production of 283 ml and 243 ml respectively. Refined red wine grape pomace generated the highest biogas production with 566 ml and 864 ml, followed by refined and cooked red wine grape pomace with a biogas production of 365 ml and 830 ml. The maximum biogas composition without CO2 was 70% and the minimum biogas composition was 55%. Pre-treatment such as refining, blending, and heat treatment can increase biogas production and lead to a possible lower retention time in the fermentation vessel due faster biomass conversion.