Current status and new development of non-wood pulp in China
1. OVERVIEW OF NON-WOOD PULP IN CHINA
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Center for Pulp and Paper, Ministry of Industry, Indonesia
Current status and new development of non-wood pulp in
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declined with more commercial pulp mills have been built and imports from other countries (Hammett et al., 2001). It is interesting to note that some tissue mills (for household and sanitary paper production) have begun to use non-wood fibers in their products as a way to preserve the natural forests (Shi et al., 2010). Table 1 lists the production/ consumption/ imports/exports of non- wood pulp (Source: FAO 2014) and Table 2 shows the non-wood fibers production in China (Zhan, 2010).
Table 1. Production/ consumption/ imports/ exports of non-wood pulp (Source: FAO 2014)
Unit 1000 MT
Term/Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Production World 18284 17718 16015 13927 13189
Asia 15964 15416 13727 11276 10521
China 12970 12400 10738 8285 7549
Indonesia 105 105 105 105 105
Consumption World 18306 17598 16072 13963 13174
Asia 15956 15391 13775 11311 10538
China 12952 12405 10735 8270 7520
Indonesia 122 118 133 116 120
Imports World 516 463 484 437 409
Asia 183 198 222 211 205
China 56 85 68 63 64
Indonesia 17 14 28 12 15
Exports World 494 582 427 401 424
Asia 190 222 175 175 187
China 74 81 71 78 93
Indonesia 0 0 1 1 1
Table 2. Non-wood fibers production in China (Million tons)
Fiber Type/Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Wheat Straw 7.19 6.60 5.92 4.01 3.36 3.03
Bagasse 1.17 1.21 0.90 0.97 1.11 0.96
Bamboo 1.94 1.92 1.75 1.37 1.54 1.43
Reed 1.56 1.58 1.43 1.26 1.13 1.0
Total 11.86 11.31 10.0 7.61 7.14 6.8
There is a growing consumer perception that ―tree-free‖ paper products are more environmentally friendly than wood-fiber based products. This perception does provides some new market opportunities. Many non-wood fiber raw materials that can and are being used to produce pulp for paper making. Most of the non-wood pulp production is in Asia, e.g., China and India, there is very little production of non-wood fibers in NA (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. The non-wood fiber productions in the top 5 countries (Wang, 2016)
71 Table 3. Advantages and disadvantages of non-wood fibers
Fiber Advantages Disadvantages Technologies Type of Paper/
Paperboard
Reference Bagasse Short grow
time; one year rotation; waste fiber source
Requires depithing Well-developed pulp technologies
available
Corrugating medium;
duplex &
triplex board;
linerboard;
newsprint substitute;
tissue; etc.
(Khristova et al., 2006, Hurter and
Robert, 1997)
Wheat Straw
Short grow time; one year rotation; waste fiber source
Problems with black liquor
treatment;
perceptual problems
Well-developed pulp technologies
available;
Successful work on black liquor
done
Corrugating medium;
duplex &
triplex board;
printing &
writing;
strawboard;
wrapping paper
(Talebnia et al., 2010, Hurter and
Robert, 1997)
Bamboo Short grow time; high productivity;
Sustainability
Problems with black liquor
treatment;
Requires depithing
Well-developed pulp technologies
available;
Successful work on black liquor
done
Linerboard;
duplex &
triplex board;
multiwall sack;
printing &
writing;
wrapping & bag papers
(Hurter and Robert, 1997, Yang et al., 2008)
Cotton Short grow time; one year
rotation; high quality fiber
Long fiber;
Needed to be cut shortly for papermaking; long
fiber wraps round equipment
Well-developed pulp technologies
available;
Successful work on black liquor
done
Currency &
security paper;
high-grade book & writing;
high-grade bond & ledger
(Hurter and Robert, 1997, Kim and Triplett,
2001)
Hemp Rapid growth 8-10 ft in four
months
Requires decortication and retting; perceptual
problem due to drug association;
long fiber wraps round equipment
Well-developed pulp technologies available; drug
free variety available
Cigarette paper;
strength additive to waste paper;
light weight papers
(Shahzad, 2012, Joshi et al., 2004, Hurter and
Robert, 1997) Kenaf High yield 21.3
mt/ha in three years
Duel source: 57%
long bast fiber, 41% short core separation required
Excellent papers have been made using existing
technology
Wide range due to variety of
fibers
(Kaldor, 1992, Akil et
al., 2011, Judt, 1993) Reed Short grow
time; one year rotation
Problems with black liquor
treatment
Well-developed pulp technologies available; drug
free variety available
Corrugating medium;
printing &
writing;
wrapping
(Hurter and Robert,
1997)
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Fig. 1 shows the non-wood fibre productions in the top 5 countries (Wang, 2016). Non-wood fiber production is 7.55 million tons in 2014 in China, 8% of the total fiber consumption (2016). The non-wood fiber production has ever reached the highest 1.3 billion tons in 2007 (Zhan, 2010). The main non-wood fiber includes wheat straw, reed, bagasse, bamboo, etc. The production of non-wood fibers in China has been declining due to the closure of small pulp mills and environmental concerns.
As for advantages and disadvantages of using non-wood fiber compared to wood fiber shown in Table 3, cultivation and harvesting of non-wood crops is favourable compared to wood fiber in several ways: 1) the payback time of non-wood plantations is much shorter than that of forest plantations, because harvesting of non-woods can start already after few months from sowing; 2) perennial crops: multiple harvests from one plantation; 3) non-wood plantations consume less water and fertilizers; 4) equipment for sowing, harvesting and baling is already available at farms; 5) ready infrastructure and no special vehicles required for transportation; 6) the use of non-wood materials can reduce deforestation in some countries and reduce emissions of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide that arise from the burning of waste agricultural residues; 7) some non-wood fiber used as raw materials for papermaking have high annual yields per hectare.
Based on the overview of non-wood pulp in China above, it can be concluded that non-wood pulp can still be a potential source of pulp and papermaking in China especially in the context that green and sustainability are necessary in the whole world. The next part will present the characterizations of common non-wood pulp/fibers in China and their drawbacks needed to be addressed. At last, the three most general non-wood pulp in China, i.e., wheat straw, bamboo and cotton fibers in their specific applications.