Recycling Pilot Plant

Western Michigan University has a large scale recycle facility that can recycle, repulp and deink a wide variety of post consumer waste including mixed office waste, magazines, food service items, and a variety of packaging including old corrugated containers. The recycling pilot equipment employs a modular piping system that allows connection of individual pieces of equipment in any configuration to simulate a wide variety of industrial systems. Eight stock chests, ranging from 1,200 to 5,000 gallons (5,455 to 22,370 liters) each, allow for multiple simulations and storage capacity for an option to make paper from your recycled fiber.

Western employs a variety of test protocols to test the repulpability of a package, coated product, or specialty paper and/or its deinkability when printed. These protocols will provide an answer to "Can this be successfully recycled?"

The WMU recycle plant is a certified pilot plant for the Fibre Boxboard Association’s repulpability and recycleability test protocol for wax replacement corrugated containers. This protocol involves a two part test, the first is a bench top procedure and if passed, then the material is tested in the recycle pilot plant.

Download PDF of Fiber Recycling Pilot Plant drawing