WOOD WISE
Wood and paper : A natural fit for the circular economy
By PAMSA , edited by Leon Louw
Paper has a fascinating history . Developed centuries ago , it has been through the mill – literally and figuratively – in terms of what it is made of and how it is made .
It also has many interesting side stories : one narrative that often goes untold is how it stores carbon , making paper and the wood it comes from good for the planet .
“ To understand why paper and wood products are vital to a lower carbon footprint , we can borrow from Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman ’ s assertion that trees don ’ t grow from the ground , they grow from the air ,” says Jane Molony , executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa ( PAMSA ).
Many of us first learned about photosynthesis in primary school : how plants absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide ( CO 2
) to make food . Trees take in CO 2 from the air , and water from the ground – which also came from the air at some point – and convert this into growth ( trunks , roots and leaves ). Oxygen is returned to the atmosphere . This carbon cycle is why trees of all kinds are such a vital part of keeping our planet regulated , offsetting greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change .
A GOOD STORY
“ In South Africa , trees can be divided into two groups – indigenous trees in natural forests and commercially and sustainably farmed trees in plantations . The latter were introduced some 100 years ago to protect natural forests , by providing farmed wood for productive purposes ,” says Molony .
Plantation trees are essentially crops that are planted and replenished in rotations , with only 9 % of the total tree count being harvested in any given year . This means that there are always trees growing , at different stages of maturity , and these trees are contributing to the carbon cycle , not to mention the economy and the livelihoods of thousands of people .
Even when planted trees are harvested for their wood – for construction or for paper , packaging , and tissue – the carbon remains locked up in the wood fibres and stays there for the lifecycle of those products . It ’ s just one of the reasons paper recycling is important – it keeps the carbon locked up for longer .
NEW CHAPTERS FOR WOOD
As the paper sector finds ways to diversify in the face of digitisation and reduced printing and writing paper demand , chemists and chemical engineers are increasingly discovering the wonder of wood .
Wood is made up of cellulose , hemicellulose , lignin , sugars , and extracts . The properties of these elements make them suitable ingredients in countless , lowcarbon products . Dissolving wood pulp , a purified form of cellulose , is suitable for chemical conversion into a range of products – it is spun into viscose and lyocell textile fibres for use in fashion and decorating textiles , cast into a film or regenerated into a sponge .
Extremely versatile , cellulose can also bind active medicinal ingredients or vitamins into palatable tablets , stabilise emulsions or increase viscosity – which is why it ’ s added to low-fat yoghurt and lipstick !
Nanocellulose – tiny cellulose nanofibres – can be used in food supplements and edible packaging , or even as a composite for screens on electronic devices .
And by growing more trees and making innovative things from them we make our lives better , our jobs easier and our world more sustainable .
30 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021 // www . timberiq . co . za