Ecological furnish for coated base papers

This paper discusses the ecological cost of two mechanical pulps - groundwood and refiner - in LWC grades, and concludes that the use of GW is the easier way of improving Finland's environmental image. It also examines the use of aspen pulps in fine papers and shows that the ecological cost can be reduced by 15-30% compared with a traditional furnish. In addition aspen pulps bring quality and economic benefits to both mill and printer according to results from the line which was started up at Kirkniemi Mill in 1996. Aspen pulps produce papers with excellent rigidity and opacity and basis weight can be reduced - the printer gets a 20% increase in printing surface from a reel of a given weight. The rotation time for aspen is 15 to 20 years compared with the 60 to 70 year rotation time for soft wood in southern Finland.