Climate Solutions: Pulp mills

The facilities that turn wood into other products such as paper and cardboard use a lot of energy in doing so, amounting to a 0.6 percent share in global greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, they produce tremendous amounts of waste. One way scientists are working to reduce the environmental impact of these processes is capturing that waste and recycling it for use in other products, with high-strength concrete, foams and next-generation batteries just a few of the exciting possibilities.

Energy

Fast-charging sodium-ion battery uses anodes made from trees

Swedish sodium-ion developer Altris has identified a means of making the lithium-free batteries even more sustainable. Together with partner Stora Enso, it's adapting tree pulp-sourced carbon toward use as an anode material.
Materials

Recycled pulp mill waste adds strength and resilience to cement

Pulp mills generate significant amounts of waste, and we're seeing scientists get quite creative with how it might be put to use. The latest example sees it used as a filler material for cement, which proved to be stronger and more resilient.