In recent years, Chinese tissue paper made from bamboo has emerged as a trendy choice for eco-friendly shoppers.
In recent years, Chinese tissue paper made from bamboo has emerged as a trendy choice for eco-friendly shoppers. However, new research suggests these bamboo paper products may not offer significant climate benefits over tissue produced in the United States and, in some cases, may be more detrimental to the environment.
The findings are detailed in a new paper from North Carolina State University researchers, which compared the carbon footprint of bamboo tissue paper manufactured in China with that of conventional tissue paper manufactured in the U.S. and Canada. The researchers found that, while using bamboo biomass itself did not produce more greenhouse gases than traditional wood, the fossil fuel-heavy power grid in China led to significant increases in emissions compared with cleaner fuel sources used in North America.
“As far as emissions go, the technology used to create hygiene tissue paper is far more important than the type of fiber it’s made from,” said Naycari Forfora, lead author of the study and Ph.D candidate in the NC State College of Natural Resources. “Because the Chinese power grid is so reliant on coal for power, emissions throughout the entire tissue supply chain are higher than what we saw with the wood-based option.”
Read more at: California State University
