The shift to renewable paper chemistry is more practical than you think
The papermaking industry, among many others, is navigating a genuine shift – away from fossil-based raw materials, without compromising process performance and efficient operations. I’ve been part of building Kemira’s portfolio of renewable alternatives to some of the key chemistries in papermaking from the very beginning. From where I stand, taking meaningful steps to reduce fossil carbon in papermaking is already more within reach than most mills expect.
Biomass-balanced chemistry offers the most accessible starting point. Think of it like green electricity: certified renewable feedstocks replace fossil-based inputs within existing production processes, and the renewable content is tracked and verified through the value chain. What reaches the paper mill is a certified biomass-balanced product. Kemira has been building this portfolio of renewable alternatives since 2021, when we brought the first biomass-balanced polyacrylamides for papermaking and water treatment applications to the market. The portfolio has since expanded to cover key chemistries across the paper machine. All our biomass-balanced products are certified under ISCC PLUS and contain at minimum 50% renewable carbon.
For paper mills, this means a genuine drop-in solution for advancing the renewable shift. Biomass-balanced chemistry performs identically to the standard fossil-based products. The transition requires no process adjustments, no lab testing, no trials at the paper machine. A mill already running a conventional product can easily make the switch. It is an easy and effective step toward reducing fossil carbon — and it can be taken today. But making an impact is a shared effort. Raw material suppliers, paper mills, brand owners and end users, even regulators all have a part to play.
Converting existing products to renewable by replacing raw materials is one part of a broader sustainability journey. Developing new chemistries from available renewable feedstocks and innovating new-to-the-world renewable solutions require longer development cycles. One example is the novel biopolymers, alpha glucans, developed based on plant-based sugars through our collaboration with IFF. These innovative biopolymers combine high performance with biodegradability and material sustainability.
Switching to renewable chemistry is one lever. Using chemistry well, renewable or not, is another, and the two belong in the same conversation.
Fiber and water are inherently variable raw materials. Quality varies with source and season. Process conditions drift. When mills cannot respond to this variability in real time, they are often pushed toward overconsumption just to stay safe and ensure process performance and product quality – using more chemicals than the process actually needs. The alternative, underdosing, risks runnability issues and quality excursions: process disturbances, downtime, more reject and waste.
This is where data-driven chemical management and digital optimization come in. Continuous real-time monitoring and predictive dosing guidance help mills respond to and even anticipate variability to get the most out of the chemistry running in the process. Chemistry that is dosed precisely also supports stable processes, and stable, efficient processes consume less water, energy, and raw materials.
Pair this with a switch to renewable chemistry and the combined impact goes further: optimized consumption and lower fossil carbon, through the same operation, without disruption.
If you want to understand what these pathways could look like for your operation, come find us at Pulp & Beyond. We will be presenting at the conference and during the exhibition at the Speaker's Corner, and our experts will be at the booth to talk.
Kati Matula
Sr. Manager, Product Line Management, EMEA
Packaging & Hygiene Solutions, Kemira
