The results of life cycle assessment concerning to nonwood or recycled printing papers are reviewed. The following conclusions are obtained for environmental effects of nonwood (bagasse) or recycled fibers.
(1) The major difference between wood and nonwood is land use of cultivation. Wood is cultivated in forests and nonwood plants are cultivated in fields. These difference can not be counted on inventory results.
(2) If the nonwood source is agricultural by-product, its environmental burden would be reduced by allocating burden according to the economic value of each products.
(3) CO2emissions due to fossil fuels are increasing, in the raw, wood, nonwood, recycled fibers. SOxemissions are large in wood and nonwood pulp production.
(4) Comparing between nonwood pulp and recycled fibers, there is little difference in environmental effects. The value of these pulps is effective usage of resources such as wastepaper and agricultural by-products.