China's toilet paper suppliers in a flush

Shanghai - Surging demand for toilet paper in China has some of the nation's suppliers in a flush, state press said.

"I'm happy to see many young people adopt paper tissues for the convenience, which is a sign that reflects our social development and has helped improve our industry," Wang Yueqin, vice-director of Shanghai Paper Trade Association, said.

But Wang, quoted in the China Daily, said he was "beginning to worry about the large wood consumption" and the industry needed to consider other technologies and uses.

"We are trying to encourage the application of new materials and technologies," he said, pointing to one factory in Jiangsu province now making toilet paper from straw.

Another in southern Guangxi has managed to produce tissues from sugarcane.

Wealthy Shanghai is a particularly heavy user of toilet paper and tissues.

"The 140,000 tons of tissues and toilet paper Shanghai uses every year consumes some 80,000 tons of wood pulp, equal to about 300,000 tons of wood," said Wang.

One textile merchant said he hoped the pressure would reinvigorate use of the handkerchief, at least for runny noses.

"In Shanghai, only old people and some office ladies use handkerchiefs," said Song Junliang, an official at the Shanghai Household Textile Industry Association. -- AFP News

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