Page 92 - Hualien Sustainable Living Bilingual Magazine

CHP makes full use of the wood chips from the beginning to the end of the paper manufacturing process. In addition to making pulp from the fibers, the lignin in the chips is also recycled and turned into biomass fuel through factory processes; the electricity generated is considered green electricity. CHP plans to increase the amount of electricity generated to 20,000 KWh this year, making it the largest biomass power plant in Taiwan and contributing to the government’s green power development, carbon reduction, and energy saving policies. Effluents are treated to meet the legally mandated water quality standards before being discharged, and the water quality is monitored together with the Environmental Protection Bureau 24 hours a day to reduce the impact on the environment and to provide water for the on-site ecological pond. Thus far, birds have been observed living and breeding around the ecological pond, and there has been a gradual increase in the number of bird sightings include eagles, ring- necked pheasants, warbling white-eyes, plain prinias, common moorhens, and egrets. The ecological pond is not open to the public to minimize human interference. In terms of the company’s products, CHP has thought about the environmental pollution caused by agricultural waste, and has specially developed paper that is free of heavy metals. This paper is designed for agricultural use, and is intended to replace plastic.“In the past, farmers would lay a layer of plastic sheeting to prevent the growth of weeds when planting crops, but the plastic sheeting would be discarded after harvesting, which harms the environment. We therefore developed a biodegradable agricultural paper to serve as a replacement.”Director Qiu also shared that the residue from the pulp manufacturing process and wood chips are mixed, composted, and matured at the back- end of the process, and eventually turned into organic fertilizer.“At our factory, we are trying to move towards a circular economy, which is the kindest way to treat the environment.” 87