We studied the characteristics of waste printing paper and cardboard particles in a reactor pyrolyzed by preheated agents with the aim of simulating a real case in a fixed-bed gasifier. A TGA/DSC was first used to study of the kinetics and enthalpy change of the printing paper and cardboard pyrolysis. Pyrolitic conversion was further carried out in a batch-type reactor with non-electrical heating. Syngas, tar and char were produced and characterized from printing paper and cardboard pyrolysis at 400 degrees C, 500 degrees C and 600 degrees C. Different flow rates of carrier gas were applied to study the effect of residence time on the products distribution. When the flow rate increased, the relative mass change of gas agrees with that of tar. With increase in temperature, the yield of furfural, olefins and other non-aromatic compounds in tar decreased, while phenols and heavier aromatic hydrocarbons increased. The evolution of CO2, CO and other gas species in the syngas was presented. Van Krevelan diagram of chars was also presented in the paper. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.