Johannesburg — South Africa’s pulp and paper sector is using female engineering talent to transform waste into valuable resources. A bursary program from the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) has funded master’s research by women in chemical engineering and wood science over the past 15 years.

Jane Molony, PAMSA executive director, highlighted the impact. “Our students’ projects help members boost efficiencies and recycle manufacturing by-products like lignin and sludge,” she said.

Sonja Boshoff, who graduated in 2015, kickstarted bioethanol production from paper sludge at Mpact. Now a process engineer in an all-women team there, she noted the sludge’s high cellulose content makes it ideal for ethanol, used in chemicals, plastics and aviation fuel. Her early work with Stellenbosch University’s Bioresource Engineering group led to a demonstration plant launch in 2024. Boshoff later advanced waste-to-energy tech at Mpact’s Stellenbosch Innovation Centre.

Leane de Beer earned her MSc in chemical engineering from North-West University in 2020. She developed a cheaper purification for lignosulphonate, a pulping by-product, aiming to upgrade it for higher-value uses and cut fossil fuel dependence. Ongoing lignin research continues at Sappi Technology Centre; de Beer now handles environmental projects, life cycle assessments and water plans as a chemical engineer.

Mahlogonolo Mafela, a junior process engineer at Mpact, optimized vacuum pressure in paper forming to slash energy use while maximizing water removal. “It’s like squeezing a sponge with vacuum to extract water efficiently,” she said. Her tweaks balance dryness and power savings in production.

Kelly Campbell, pursuing her MEng at Stellenbosch University after a BEng in chemical engineering, ferments food waste into ethanol. “This diverts organics from landfills, curbing emissions and yielding chemicals or transport fuel,” she explained. Campbell works as an engineer-in-training at Mpact.

Lerato Tau graduates this year from the University of Pretoria with a master’s. Using thermogravimetric analysis, she heats papermaking materials to chart thermal breakdown. “Weight loss patterns reveal cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and char content,” Tau said. Her six-hour method beats traditional three-day chemical tests for speed and safety.

Gabriela Carzola, who earned a distinction on her Stellenbosch master’s, converts papermaking rejects into slow-release fertilizer for forestry trees. Now a process engineer trainee at an engineering firm, her project exemplifies waste reuse in plantations.

Molony praised the cohort. “These women drive innovation in our renewable sector, fortifying the forest-products chain with low-carbon options,” she said. PAMSA’s investment builds a female STEM pipeline for industry growth.

The projects span water-energy optimization, by-product valorization and waste diversion. Boshoff’s bioethanol plant stands as a decade-long success. De Beer’s lignin work feeds into commercial applications. Mafela’s vacuum research cuts operational costs directly. Campbell tackles urban food waste. Tau streamlines quality control. Carzola closes forestry loops.

South Africa’s pulp and paper industry, centered on wood renewability, produces cellulose, paper, packaging and tissue. These efforts align with global circular economy goals, reducing landfill and fossil reliance.