Explosions Due to Hydrogen and Hydrogen Sulfide Build-up
As paper mills have begun to close up their water systems and move toward zero effluent discharge, they are finding that closing a mill’s water system can lead to changes in a mill’s water chemistry. These can include a build-up of nutrients which can increase the amount of microbes in a mill’s system. In the absence of oxygen that might be found in tanks, chests, and pipes, anaerobic bacteria can thrive.
When certain types of anaerobic bacteria break down the organic material found in a mill, hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen gases can be formed and released. One group of anaerobic bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria or SRB, produce hydrogen sulfide gas as a byproduct of their metabolic process. Other anaerobic bacteria, including clostridia, produce hydrogen gas as a byproduct of their metabolic processes.
Both these gases, if present in sufficient amounts, can be a safety concern — particularly for explosions — in a paper mill. Monitoring for these gases can help detect harmful levels of the gases before incident occurs.
RPTA issued Technical Bulletin 16, Hydrogen and Hydrogen Sulfide Gases, which provides guidance on monitoring for these gases.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board issued a Bulletin that provides guidance on hot work in such areas.
LATEST NEWS
Industry Benchmarking Survey
The 2025 Profile Study reports were distributed on September 1. Samples from 51 paper machines, collected during the first quarter of 2025, were blind-coded before testing and reporting.
The 2025 Profile Study reports and all past Survey reports can be accessed at this member-only page. In addition, each member company that participated in the Study received company-specific Excel workbooks that provide all Study data with their paper machines identified.
2025 Production-Technical Seminar
On May 5 and 6, 2025, we held our annual production-technical seminar. For the first time, our seminar content was embedded into TAPPICon, instead of being co-located with it. RPTA members attending provided positive feedback regarding the new format.
In addition to technical presentations, RPTA members had the opportunity to network with other members at our RPTA Lunch, Roundtable Breakfast, and Networking Room.
RPTA members can access the RPTA presentations at this member-only site.
Summer Webinar
On July 16th, we held a panel webinar - "Mill to Meaning: Career Stories in Recycled Paper": A diverse and experienced panel shared their career paths, insights, lessons learned, and inspirations. A recording of the webinar is available at this member-only webpage.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Fall Roundtable
Our Fall Roundtable will be held on October 15 & 16, in Brookfield, WI. We will hold a seminar on refining, followed the next day with tours of Valmet’s refiner foundry (in Waukesha, WI) and Greif’s Milwaukee, WI paperboard mill.
The Roundtable is free for our RPTA members, that is, for all employees of our RPTA member companies. Click here to register for Roundtable.
Plans for other Educational Events
Based on input from our members, the RPTA Operating Board is developing educational events on Waste Reduction; Coating Formulation and Application; Environmental; and Stickies Mitigation, to be held over the next year. Stay tuned for dates, times, and locations.