Pine Chemistry refers to the co-products from the papermaking process that are upgraded into crucial ingredients in a variety of goods important to our everyday lives. This whole process ensures that the papermaking process is efficient and its co-products are not wasted.
The raw materials, crude tall oil and crude sulfate turpentine, are derived from evergreen, cone-bearing trees during the pulping process and are vital to the Pine Chemistry industry. The trees yield cellulose to make paper, and two co-products in the sap are further refined and upgraded to be used in ink, paints and coatings, adhesives, soaps and detergents, fragrances, chewing gum, and pine oil disinfectants. Other co-products, such as sawdust, are also used by the industry in environmentally friendly ways, including as a natural filter for everything from auto emissions to drinking water. The Pine Chemistry Group at the American Chemistry Council works to educate the public and policymakers about the many benefits of Pine Chemistry.