Actor Woody Harrelson is supporting a company called Prairie Pulp and Paper that produces paper made from waste wheat straw. Harrelson said he wants to get in on the movement that will see North America’s first non-wood pulp-and-paper mill set up. Source: The Canadian Press, CBC News
Harrelson is the front man for a plan to convert agricultural crop waste into paper in Canada. He says making paper from trees is barbaric.
“When we build a plant there in Manitoba, it’s going to be 100 per cent wood free … really from agricultural waste,” said Harrelson.
“I’d like to see a revolution in the paper industry and I think this is an important part of that process.”
Prairie Pulp and Paper has commissioned an environmental study that concludes the company’s recently launched Step Forward wheat-based paper has the least amount of environmental impact among North American copy papers, including 100 per cent recycled paper.
Step Forward paper, currently made in India with 80% waste wheat straw and 20% wood fibres, has been available at more than stores across Canada.
Step Forward was found to have the lowest environmental impacts with regards to non-renewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, wastewater volume and aquatic acidification.
Prairie Pulp and Paper president Jeff Golfman said his US$500-million project could employ 300 people and require between 300,000 and 400,000 tonnes of straw each year.
