The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Pamsa) has announced that two South African researchers won the local segment of the global Blue Sky Young Researchers Innovation Awards and will compete against 12 international peers from seven countries.

The Blue Sky Awards is a biennial competition that acknowledges the work of students and young researchers in forest-based science, product development using forest-based raw materials, process improvements or other innovations throughout the forest sector value chain.

The competition is sponsored at a global level by the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) and locally by Pamsa, with the latest theme of the awards being “building a lower-carbon economy with climate positive forestry and forest products”.

The South African researchers, chemical engineer and junior research engineer at paper and packaging manufacturer Mpact Qiniso Ngiba and chemical engineering master’s student Leane Naude, who works for paper manufacturer Sappi, had to submit proposals of their research projects for the awards.

Ngiba’s proposal involved synthesised artificial humus by using the spent pulp lignin from the pulping and papermaking process, and the testing of these products in a plant trial.

The synthesis of artificial humus, which increases carbon storage in soils, was shown to improve crop productivity and provides a commercial route for spent pulp liquor.

This is vital in achieving a lower-carbon economy, increasing agricultural production and supporting the sector’s goal of a circular bioeconomy.

Naude’s research developed a more cost-effective purification method for lignosulphonate – an alternative to fossil-based products.

Pamsa explains that lignosulphonate is a by-product from the sulphite pulping of wood into pulp for the production of high-strength paper grades, and is considered a biopolymer.

The brown odourless powder is often used as a dispersant in pesticides, dyes, and other insoluble solids and liquids into water, and as a dust suppressant owing to its binding properties.

The more cost effective purification process turns a low-value waste product into a high-end resource that will support the journey towards a circular bioeconomy.

Both researchers have participated in Pamsa’s Master of Engineering Bursary Programme and will be awarded with R15 000 and R10 000, respectively, for their contribution towards the circular bioeconomy.

Meanwhile, three of the 14 Blue Sky Award participants will have the opportunity to present their work to ICFPA’s Global CEO Roundtable discussion early in 2023, which will have a judging panel to assess the strength and potential of each entry.