Ukraine is testing a technology for producing paper from fallen leaves, which could significantly reduce deforestation and dependence on plastic. The idea is to use leaves from city parks, which are usually burned or taken to landfills, as a full-fledged raw material for making paper, packaging and containers.
The author of the development is Valentyn Frechka from Transcarpathia. Back in his school years, he created a technology for producing cellulose from fallen leaves, and now, as a second-year student at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, he has brought it to the stage of industrial testing. The project is called RE-leaf Paper and is already being tested at the Zhytomyr Cardboard Mill.
The technology involves collecting leaves a few weeks after leaf fall so that aggressive chemical compounds disappear naturally. After that, the raw material is processed into a solution from which pure cellulose is isolated. It does not contain harmful impurities, is hypoallergenic, safe for contact with food products, and is suitable for areas where the use of waste paper is limited. The residues after processing are used as fertilizer, which makes production virtually waste-free.
The mill explains that the European Union has strict restrictions on single-use plastic, so the market is actively looking for an alternative. At the same time, the transition to paper made from wood pulp creates additional pressure on forests. That is why non-traditional raw materials — grass, straw, sugar cane and fallen leaves — are becoming strategically important. The company is already producing ecological packaging, some of which is exported to Germany.
The development allows the production of kraft paper, bags, corrugated packaging and cast packaging. To reduce the cost and make the product affordable, a combined formula was chosen: 70% fallen leaves and 30% low-quality waste paper. This solution significantly reduces the use of wood pulp without losing quality.
The RE-leaf Paper project has already received awards at international competitions in the USA, South Korea, Serbia, Kenya and Tunisia. Currently, the development is moving from the experimental stage to real production, which may open up new opportunities for the ecological processing industry in Ukraine and Europe.
