September 1, 2023

Sofia McGrath

10th Grade

The Young Women's Leadership School of Queens

The Beginnings of Releaf Paper

There has been a recent advancement of a company named “Releaf Paper,” which utilizes new technology to manufacture and internationally produce paper and packaging from a unique raw material: fallen leaves. They are working towards the goal of replacing wood cellulose as a source of paper since it entails cutting down a tremendous number of trees annually. Releaf Paper promotes this idea of sustainability by using biowastes to create paper for the well-being of our earth’s forests. But how did such a remarkable company - with such an evident impact on the environment - initially come to be? 

The innovation of paper made from leaves initially started as a research idea by sixteen-year-old Valentin Frecka, a Ukranian student at the Junior Academy of the Sciences. Some form of cellulose is required to make paper, and, concerned for the environment, Frecka was looking for an alternative to wood as a source of cellulose. In an interview conducted by Aafke Eppinga, Frecka noted that after his disappointing trials with both grass and straw, the idea of using leaves came to him while hiking through central Europe. After lengthy, arduous experiments, he learned that the same process used to extract fibers from wood can be also used to extract fibers from leaves, and was thus able to create sound prototypes. Following his development of these prototypes, Frecka sought to produce his product on an industrial scale. Five years later, he decided to start his company, Releaf Paper, working alongside his partner, Alexander Sobolenko. Releaf Paper became the first company to utilize a new type of technology that could change the way we view and/or use leaves, creating a more environmentally friendly world. 

The Process of Making Releaf Paper

Before explaining the implications of such a revolutionary paper, it is vital to take note of the specific process that must be undergone to produce this technology. First, Releaf collects leaves from urban areas - namely parks, sidewalks, and residential districts - and clears the leaves of any debris. In this process, the leaves are neither taken nor blown from trees. Rather, the already-fallen leaves are repurposed as opposed to being left to decompose. Next, the leaves are subjected to a process called granulation. Granulation is a method of particle enlargement that creates granules from solid or powdery substances. This is an important step, as it ensures stability in the production cycle of Releaf paper, and allows the raw materials to be stored all year round. The leaves are then loaded into a chemical reactor to extract cellulose fibers from the raw materials that form the paper in the process. This process is known as fibrillation and produces special fibers. These fibers are washed repeatedly to flush out foreign items that are not necessary to create the paper. Lastly, the pulp is mixed with biological fillers. This pulp is collected by a paper machine at the processing plant onto a solid canvas which dries the pulp and rolls it into paper. Releaf paper is used for items such as paper bags, cardboard boxes, liners, fillers, and packaging.  

Releaf Paper's Impact

This eco-friendly solution to paper production combats several imposing environmental issues such as biowaste disposal, deforestation, carbon emissions, and water usage. In urban areas, leaves have been a persistent issue, dissimilarly to forest habitats. Leaves often clog pipes which impede city infrastructure. Moreover, when these leaves are burned it results in the release of chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which act as pollutants and can be detrimental to the environment. Repurposing leaves for paper-making results in a reduction of biowaste and has proven to be a more effective solution than composting.

Additionally, using solely urban areas as a source for leaves also ensures natural forest ecosystems’ processes are not disrupted. This innovation is an affordable option that also raises an alternative to cutting down trees, decreasing deforestation. Based on an account by Roman Danov, there are seventeen trees saved per ton of cellulose made from fallen leaves. Danov's account also explains that three tons of leaves per one ton of cellulose are being used with Releaf technology, as opposed to being burned or decayed in urban areas. This conveys how Releaf Paper has already positively impacted the environment through its improvement of the biowaste disposal issue and reduction of deforestation. 

Releaf paper is also conducive to the carbon emissions issue.  The raw material of the leaf fibers allows for more energy efficiency,  hence noticeably decreasing carbon emissions and water usage. In fact, according to Danov, during the production process of Releaf paper, three times less energy and fifteen times less water is consumed than in traditional wood-based paper production. The biodegradation period of Releaf paper is also nine times less than that of regular paper, with a comparison of thirty days versus two hundred and seventy days. This information reflects a  considerable difference between Releaf paper's impact and wood-based paper's impact. 

In terms of environmental sustainability, Releaf’s paper has proven to be the better option, as indicated by these statistics. With this information, it is time to ask the question: As the Earth’s state continuously worsens, largely due to human practices, is Releaf’s paper the new pathway for paper?