The use of recycled paper, which has drawn attention for its environment-friendly features, has slumped. In its stead, non-wood papers, which do not depend on forest resources, have come into the spotlight. The materials being used include kenaf and other annual plants, seaweed, and straw--all easily reproduced resources that can contribute to preventing indiscriminate deforestation. Already things like calling cards and tissues are being made from these materials, and they are expected to come into wider use in the future.
In the past, recycled paper spread as a way of cutting costs by reusing resources. More recently, growing awareness of the need to preserve the environment and prevent overharvesting of forests has given even greater importance to the use of recycled paper as a way of stretching forest resources.
Japan has long had established collection routes for old newspapers and cardboard and leads the world in the reuse of paper. The paper-making industry undertook a campaign to raise the ratio of recycled paper to 55% by 1994 and actually succeeded in bringing the level to 53% as of the end of the fiscal year (March 31, 1995).
But recent yen appreciation has caused a sudden climb in imports of cheap foreign pulp, undercutting the market price for used paper and forcing dealers out of business. The paper that has consequently been left uncollected is disposed of along with ordinary rubbish, rapidly swelling trash quantities and overburdening incinerators. This problem has been further exacerbated by the growing use of special papers for office equipment; these are difficult to reuse and have always been disposed of as ordinary trash. Against this backdrop, the reuse of old paper and the spread of recycled paper have been slowing down.
The large-scale use of recycled paper also causes problems. For one thing, there is danger of a new environmental problem being caused by the chlorine bleach that is employed to whiten it. For another, consumers tend to shun recycled paper because they feel that it is more expensive than other paper.
Now, however, non-wood papers are stealing the spotlight from recycled paper with its many problems. As the term implies, non-wood papers are made from materials other than wood pulp: Kenaf, an annual plant in the mallow family, as well as straw, cotton, and sugar cane draff are among them. Traditional Japanese paper, which uses the bark of low trees like paper mulberry and paperbush, is also a variety of non-wood paper. Non-wood papers are stronger than ordinary paper and impart a feeling of quality.
Kenaf is seen as the most promising of these materials. A variety of flax, this plant reaches about four meters height in only half a year. Planted in May, it flowers around October, putting out lovely white blossoms resembling hibiscus. The bark and inner stem are used to make pulp. As yet, only a little is grown in Japan, but it is widely cultivated in China, Thailand, and elsewhere. Japan is importing this as semiprocessed pulp.
Replacing trees once they are cut down takes a long time. In warm climates it takes 30 to 40 years for newly planted trees to become harvestable, and in northern regions, 100 years is needed. Even trees that mature rapidly, such as eucalyptus, take about a decade. Cultivating kenaf instead would facilitate stable, annual replenishment of a pulp source.
Growing kenaf would reduce cutting down forests, which absorb carbon dioxide and prevent global warming. What is more, kenaf absorbs 1.3 times more carbon dioxide than ordinary trees. Thus, planting kenaf would be killing two birds with one stone.
Kenaf calling cards are already available, and a growing number of corporations and government offices are switching from recycled paper calling cards to kenaf. Kenaf paper is also coming into the home in items like trash bags, tissues, and drawing paper.
Products made from non-wood papers have been increasing, and at present 50 types are on the market. Two-thirds of them have kenaf mixed into the paper, but there are also paper products that use sugar cane draff, cotton, seaweed, straw, and other materials.
Kenaf and other non-wood pulp, however, accounts for a mere 0.1% of total consumption, and it is not yet spreading very rapidly. The main reason is that for some products these papers are about 10% more expensive than ordinary paper. But consumers are growing more concerned about the environment, which will probably raise demand for non-wood papers in the future.
(The above article, edited by Japan Echo Inc., is based on domestic
Japanese news sources. It is offered for reference purposes and does
not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese
Government.)