Paper and Pulp Industry

Paper and Pulp Industry

The Foundation of Sustainable Paper and Pulp

India’s paper and pulp industry is growing steadily, driven by packaging demand, e-commerce and the move away from single-use plastics. Pulp is the foundation of this growth. Mills draw on wood, bagasse, agro-residues like wheat straw, and a rising share of recycled fibre, while the country remains a significant importer of virgin pulp. This is encouraging more domestic pulping capacity, plant upgrades and investment in energy efficiency, with sustainability becoming a deciding factor for large buyers.

Air pollution is one of the sector’s biggest challenges, and much of it starts at the pulping stage. Chemical recovery boilers, lime kilns and digesters emit particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and sulphur-based odorous gases such as hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans, while bleaching operations can release chlorine-based compounds. On the paper side, coal or biomass-fired boilers add fly ash, and wood yards, chipping and fibre handling generate fugitive dust. With emission norms tightening and communities near mills becoming more vocal, controlling both stack and process emissions is now central to staying in operation.