Chemicals are the bread and butter of paper recycling, preparing the material for reuse. However, ‘chemical treatment’ carries negative connotations, reflecting concerns about paper recycling mills and their potential environmental safety risks.

Citriczyme is breaking this stigma with over two decades of experience designing and applying organic chemical products in the pulp, paper and water treatment industry. Its safe, non-toxic solutions improve water quality, raw material and finished product integrity.

While many manufacturers promote biodegradable products, most take long periods of time to break down, placing a burden on wastewater treatment facilities and missing the mark on true sustainability. This challenge led Cesar Urbina to found Citriczyme, driven by his search for a greener solution with minimal environmental and health risks.

“If something is dangerous or toxic to personnel and environment, it isn’t suited for us,” says Urbina, Director. “Our products are oil and hydrocarbon-free, non-flammable and readily biodegradable.”

Citriczyme’s products are widely used by recycling-based brown paper and tissue manufacturers, comprising more than 90 percent of its client base. Its organic products treat paper for cleanliness, resistance and microbiological control, among other properties. The natural character of the product, devoid of polymers and other problematic substances, enhances fiber resistance without disrupting the pulping process. They also require minimal water for application, promoting efficiency and environmental sustainability.

These advantages are critical as Mexico doesn’t have virgin pulp production or water resources—making proper recycling essential. When combined with the side effects of repeated chemical treatment and other processes on paper, Citriczyme’s organic products are a lifesaver.

The company’s products offer significant advantages over traditional cleaning methods when resolving ‘stickies.’ Citriczyme’s non-flammable, organic solutions significantly decrease solvent use, enhance safety, lower production costs and reduce explosive risks around machines. This results in improved machine ‘runnability’ and more efficient wastewater treatment— benefitting tissue manufacturers.

Moreover, Citriczyme solution for stickies is vital as they can break the sheet during high-speed production, resulting in operational issues, costly downtime and inefficiencies. Its organic solution ensures a safer resolution without health and environmental risks.

An instance of the product’s success was with a multinational tissue manufacturer that initially relied on one ton of solvent per day to maintain machine operations. This excessive solvent usage heightened operational costs and raised environmental and safety concerns. They partnered with Citriczyme for a solution, which conducted detailed research and comprehensive analysis using advanced software to identify contaminants. It recognized issues during the conversion process that were causing paper breakage. The company introduced a specialized product that almost eliminated solvent usage within days, effectively reducing stickies and enabling smooth production and conversion operations.

To ensure these success stories are replicated, Citriczyme prioritizes providing proper customer service. It supports customers while they are being introduced to the product until they are familiar with its use. When they are fully accustomed and satisfied with the product, the company proceeds with billing them. Once onboard, each paper and pulp mill has dedicated personnel for ongoing support, dosage management and detailed reporting. Direct engagement between engineers and customers also helps address performance insights and suggestions for improvement.

The company believes in continuous growth for itself and its products. The stickies control solution is in its seventh-generation avatar to keep up with lower-quality recycled paper. The biochemical engineers provide the research behind it and improve the products collaboratively to address emerging industry issues.

Ultimately, Citriczyme aims to promote safety and sustainability for the community, the environment and future generations through its green solutions.