The Empire Recycled Fiber mill is in development in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, on the site of a decommissioned steel mill complex. The mill is anticipated to bring in 505,000 tons per year of recovered fiber from nearby regions, said Bill Moore of Moore & Associates according to Resource Recycling.
That feedstock will be 70% OCC and 30% mixed paper.
The mill’s output will be 440,000 tons per year of recycled paper pulp, which paper manufacturers will use as a raw material. The mill will produce and dry the pulp to 10% moisture content. Then, the material will be wrapped, baled and exported to China.
According to Resource Recycling, the recycled pulp mill will fill a market void left in the wake of China’s National Sword import restrictions. Recovered fiber has become far more difficult to ship into China due to the policy actions, but pulp made from recovered fiber does not face the same import scrutiny.