AbstractBACKGROUND: This paper describes the reuse of paper sludge, an industrial solid waste, for the preparation of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The process includes pretreatment, basification and etherification.RESULTS: The optimal pretreatment condition involved the addition of 6.7% hydrochloric acid to the paper sludge for 30 min at 70 °C. The order of factors influencing the effect of reaction was: etherification temperature > sodium hydroxide dose > basification temperature > etherification time > sodium chloroacetate dose. The optimal preparation condition of CMC was: mpapersludge: msodiumhydroxide: msodiumchloroacetate = 0.9:0.8:1.15; basification at 40 °C; etherification at 60 °C for 1 h. Under these conditions, certified CMC with viscosity less than 20 mPa· s, DS more than 0.50 and purity more than 90% was produced. The results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectra analyses indicated that the product has characteristics of high degree of substitution (DS) and low crystallinity. The coated paper using CMC prepared from paper sludge as a water retention agent can meet the quality standards of GB/T 10335.1‐2005.CONCLUSION: Preparation of CMC from paper sludge can be considered a feasible alternative, generating value‐added product and contributing to solving environmental problems resulting from paper sludge. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry