Paper Pulp Mill Could Benefit Wheat Growers

A new tree-free paper pulp mill in Dayton could offer a big boost to wheat growers as the mill will use waste straw to create paper products.

John Begley, President and CEO of Columbia Pulp, said the idea came out of Washington’s hope to find new uses for waste straw that was typically plowed under or burned.

“Man has used straw to make pulp for centuries. It goes all the way back to the Ancient Egyptians, so it’s not a new idea. What was a new way was how do you do it economically and effectively.”

This will be the first ever facility around the world that uses a specific process that doesn’t cook the fibers, but rather uses a chemical reaction.

Begley said this could provide a lot of benefits for the wheat growers.

“The growers have to get rid of the straw in order to get back to the ground and replant so they have a couple of options. One of them is to burn it. Another is to plow it back under. The third is, in drier areas, just leave it standing. What this offers them is a stream of revenue for that straw as opposed to a cost.”

The facility celebrated their grand opening Wednesday and plans on using 230,000 tons of straw to create 150,000 tons of pulp every year.

Farmers who are interested in doing business with them can reach out to Columbia Pulp.

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