China's non-wood pulp output fell as Columbia Pulp's straw mill stopped
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
Columbia Pulp, a Washington State mill that made pulp from wheat straw, stopped within a year of its 2019 start. China's non-wood pulp output fell from 10.5 million tonnes in 2004 to 3.5 million in 2015, and the sources reviewed report no measured forest outcome.
- China's domestic non-wood pulp producers — output fell from 10.5 million tonnes (2004) to 3.5 million tonnes (2015) Hawkins Wright
What happened
Columbia Pulp, which described itself as North America's first treeless pulp mill, was established in Washington State at about $183.9 million and began production in 2019 (Pulp & Paper News).
The mill stopped within a year, was placed under a receiver in April 2022, and its equipment went to auction in February 2024 (Pulp & Paper News).
Hawkins Wright reported that China's non-wood pulp output peaked at 10.5 million tonnes in 2004 and fell 24% to 3.5 million tonnes in 2015, when pulp imports reached 17.5 million tonnes.
Hawkins Wright described the displacement of domestic non-wood pulp as the largest driver of China's import demand.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: the mill's annual capacity was 140,000 tonnes of pulp.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: China closed thousands of small pulp and paper mills from 1996, most of them using straw, with about 7,000 closures by one estimate.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: before 2000 only about 10% of China's pulp came from wood.
- Insufficient Claims about Brazilian eucalyptus plantations and Suzano are reported but not verified.
- None on record The reason for the mill's closure is not stated in the sources reviewed.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Company or project
- Decline of non-wood pulp in ChinaHawkins Wright · 2016-03-23
Press and investigations
- Columbia Pulp wheat-straw pulp millPulp & Paper News ·