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Wood is the primary source of raw material for paper production – whether as fresh fiber or recycled material. The silphium plant, a perennial energy crop, is now also being used as an alternative fiber source. Fraunhofer UMSICHT conducted a life cycle assessment study for OutNature, a supplier of fiber and paper products, comparing the environmental impact of silphium plant paper with that of conventional paper made from pulp and recycled paper fibers.
Paper production is energy- and resource-intensive, and there is a growing demand for paper packaging as a substitute for plastic. This has led to an increased demand for alternative renewable and regional raw materials. The silphium plant is a hardy, perennial energy crop that originally comes from North America, which is now also cultivated in Germany.
Fraunhofer UMSICHT prepared a life cycle assessment for OutNature in accordance with internationally recognized standards ISO 14040/44. The study covers the entire life cycle – from cultivation and biomass extraction to transport, energy production, fiber extraction and processing into finished paper. The results were also subjected to a critical review by GreenDelta GmbH. Paper with a 35 percent silphie fiber content was compared with conventional liners. The paper weight was assumed to be 115 g/m², as this is the most commonly sold variant at OutNature.
Climate benefits of using the silphium plant
The production of silphium plant fibers can significantly reduce CO2emissions through the energetic use of the plant: 257 kg CO2eq/t fiber. The study took into account the production of silphium plant as well as its energetic and material utilization. The fiber is obtained from the residues left over from the fermentation process after the silphium plant has been used to produce energy in a biogas plant. Biogas production and its conversion into electricity in a combined heat and power plant can save more CO2 emissions than are generated during the production of silphie plant fiber. "Silphium fiber is an interesting domestic raw material for the paper industry. Under suitable conditions, its use can generate climate benefits," confirms Dr. Daniel Maga, Department of Sustainability and Participation at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. The greatest environmental impact of silphie paper results from the paper manufacturing process. Silphie paper is produced in a paper mill that uses renewable energy. This allows paper to be produced with lower greenhouse gas emissions than testliner.
Silphie paper is currently only produced in small quantities and in a non-integrated factory, which offers for optimization potential in the future. In addition, silphie paper has a higher environmental impact in other environmental impact categories, which are influenced, for example, by the cultivation of the silphium plant.
Silphie paper is suitable for further processing in various packaging applications – especially those involving direct food contact, such as fruit and vegetable trays, folding cartons, or corrugated cardboard packaging. It can also be printed using standard printing processes.
Overall, the study confirms the ecological value of the silphium plant as a promising alternative fiber source for the paper industry and shows that the use of silphie paper in packaging can be beneficial from a climate perspective compared to conventional liners.
*Kraft liner: Cover paper (liner) mainly made from primary fibers; test liner: Cover paper (liner) made primarily from recycled paper
https://www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de/en/circulareconomy/life-cycle-assessment.html (Landing Page LCA)
https://www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de/en/about-fraunhofer-umsicht/departments/sustai... (Department Sustainability and Participation)
Silphium fibers are suitable for paper production and can be beneficial for the climate under the ri ...
Copyright: OutNature GmbH
Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
Journalisten, Wirtschaftsvertreter, Wissenschaftler, jedermann
Chemie, Umwelt / Ökologie, Werkstoffwissenschaften
überregional
Forschungs- / Wissenstransfer, Forschungsergebnisse
Englisch
Silphium fibers are suitable for paper production and can be beneficial for the climate under the ri ...
Copyright: OutNature GmbH
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