Deinked pulp (DIP)
Also: DIP, deinked pulp, recycled pulp
Pulp made from recovered printed paper where ink has been removed, used in newsprint, tissue, and graphic grades.
Deinked pulp is made by repulping old newsprint, magazines, or office paper, then separating ink particles from fiber. The most common deinking method is flotation: air bubbles attach to hydrophobic ink particles and carry them to the surface for skimming.
DIP replaces virgin pulp in newsprint (up to 100%), tissue (up to 50%), and some printing and writing grades. Brightness loss and fiber shortening limit how many recycling cycles a fiber survives, typically 5 to 7 before the fiber is too short to make paper.
Related
- Mechanical pulp. High-yield pulp made by mechanically separating wood fibers, retaining lignin. Used in newsprint and magazine papers.