Paper sludge is a residual material in the pulp and paper manufacturing process composed of short fibers, clays, fillers and other contaminants. These sludges are produced at high volume from both virgin and recycled paper production processes. The fate of paper sludge is mainly limited to disposal in landfills, land application or power generation (the later with low efficiency). Dr. Richard Venditti, along with collaborators and students, has been developing novel conversion processes to convert paper sludge into ethanol with a focus on low capital investment, operational costs and environmental impact. The project is a team effort that involves experts in bioconversion, process economics and financial modeling, and is currently sponsored by the Biofuels Center of North Carolina and the Consortium for Plant Biotechnology.