Resources
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RPTA provides its members with a vast array of resources from educational programs and whitepapers to training modules.
Publications
RPTA has produced a variety of bulletins and manuals covering a broad range of topics from boilouts to metal in board. These publications are used for educating customers and/or for teaching aids for new hires or those new to the industry.
We have also developed Computer Based Training Modules covering the different aspects of papermaking from stock preparation to coating. These serve as great training aids for new hires or those new to the industry.
Seminars
RPTA holds various seminars and roundtable discussions designed to keep membership informed of new or improved operating practices, new technology or products from vendors or to address problem solving issues common to most members like safety, threading practices, furnish, stock cleaning, etc.
Task Forces
RPTA sets up and facilitates meetings where focused groups by discipline meet regularly to discuss new or developmental products, processes, or technology and to discuss issues common to the membership. One currently in operation is the Product Stewardship and Environmental Task Force.
Comprehensive Program for Food Contact Paperboard
Under the authority of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations allow the use of pulp from reclaimed fiber in food packaging. These regulations recognize that the sources of reclaimed fiber may be either "industrial waste from the manufacture of paper and paperboard" or "salvage from used paper and paperboard..." In both cases, the regulations stipulate that the material may not bear or contain "any poisonous or deleterious substance... that migrates to the food except as provided in the regulations..."
In 1999, the Recycled Paperboard Technical Association (RPTA) and the American Forest & Paper Association jointly published "A Guidance for Industry on The Use of Pulp from Reclaimed Fiber as a Component of Paper and Paperboard Products for Food Packaging under 21 C.F.R. 176.260." The Guidance identified steps appropriate to ensure compliance with FDA requirements. To complement the Guidance, RPTA issued the first edition of its Chemical Testing Protocol for Food Contact Paperboard Made from Recycled Fiber (RPTA Protocol) as a tool to help manufacturers of recycled paper and paperboard identify substances in recycled paperboard and determine the regulatory status of those substances.
Since then, the RPTA Protocol has evolved into the Comprehensive Program for Food-Contact Paperboard Produced From Recycled Fiber to ensure that recycled paperboard can be the first choice for food packaging. Because of this Comprehensive Program, consumers can have full confidence that the food contained within this packaging is safe to consume.
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LATEST NEWS
Industry Benchmarking Survey
The next Profile Study will be initiated this December for first-quarter ’25 sampling. All past Survey reports can be accessed at this member-only page.
2024 Summer Webinar
On July 24th, we held a webinar on In-Line Freeness Measurement, presented by BTG Instrument Representatives Jason Shipman and Tyler Spivey. Webinar slides and recording are available at this RPTA members only site, along with materials from other past webinars
UPCOMING EVENTS
2024 Fall Roundtable
Paper Machine Roll Design and Operation, Appleton, WI.
Wednesday, October 16, 1:00 to 5:00 PM – Engaging seminar on roll design and operation, at the Hilton Paper Valley Hotel, followed by a group dinner.
Thursday, October 19, Morning - Tour of a roll manufacturer’s facility
2025 Winter Webinar
A mid- to late-January Zoom webinar on Recovered Fiber Grades and Quality, to include presentations on the incoming product and on impacts to the production process.
2025 Production-Technical Seminar
Next year’s P-T Seminar will be held on May 5 & 6, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, co-located with TAPPICon 2025. Session topics will be:
- Safer Operations
- Ways to improve paper properties, e.g.; ply bond, formation
- Wet end chemistry optimization (a 2-hour mini-course by highly experienced consultant)
- Solid waste reduction
An exciting change: RPTA members will register with RPTA and we will register the group with TAPPICon. The cost for each member will be less than prior years and will include the entire 4-dayTAPPICon program, instead of just RPTA’s two days.
Stay tuned as details develop.