Excessive use of chemical fertilizers leads to environmental degradation, reduced soil fertility, and disruption of the ecological balance. In addition, mismanagement of chemical fertilizer uses for agricultural production, in addition to imposing economic costs on farmers, is a serious threat to ecosystems due to environmental pollution. In this regard, the use of renewable lignocellulosic resources as a substrate for the production of sustainable fertilizers has been considered, and waste paper, as an abundant and cheap source of lignocellulosic, is a suitable option for the development of smart and environmentally friendly fertilizers. In the present study, nitrocellulose derived from waste newspapers was used to synthesize NPK fertilizer. In order to prepare NPK fertilizer, waste paper was treated in a nitric acid reaction mixture and before the neutralization step, dilute phosphoric acid was added to the medium to provide phosphorus. Then, KOH was used to neutralize and stabilize the final product for use as fertilizer. Structural and thermal characterization of the product was carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Also, the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium elements (NPK) in the synthesized fertilizer was measured. The results of the analyses showed that the modified cellulose structure contained nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium elements and the successful synthesis of NPK fertilizer based on waste paper was carried out. In addition, the swelling, solubility and release behavior of nutrients were investigated in the pH range of 2 to 12. The findings showed that the modified samples in aqueous media showed higher swelling and solubility than the original papers, while the original papers did not show significant weight loss or solubility. Also, the weight loss and release of NPK elements were higher in alkaline pH than in acidic environments, which was attributed to the negative charge of the cellulose chains and the increase in electrostatic repulsion. Overall, the results indicate that cellulosic waste papers can be used as a suitable substrate for the synthesis of controlled-release NPK fertilizers and provide a sustainable approach to managing paper waste and reducing dependence on conventional chemical fertilizers.