A paper published in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal Energy & Fuels by the Tokyo Institute of Technology shows that the method, called subcritical hydrothermal treatment (HTT), converts waste from the paper industry into useful products, such as fuel and fertilizer. The method uses heat and pressure to break down and remove certain components of the mixture, which will turn the waste into clean, solid fuel. 
   According to researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology, the entire process of making paper, from the initial stripping and cutting of the wood to the final pulping and refining, creates large amounts of waste such as wood fibers. These wastes are landfilled and may cause environmental pollution, as they are likely to contaminate groundwater sources. 
   A research team from the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at Tokyo Institute of Technology tried various temperatures to find the best conditions for HTT. And in the final results of the experiments, a combination similar to coal was found. 
   The researchers also concluded that this approach makes the fuel not only sustainable but also well suited for commercial production. 
   In the A-share market, listed companies such as Mountain Eagle Paper (600567.SH) and Shougang (600008.SH) are involved in solid waste treatment. 
   With non-patented technologies for solid waste incineration and comprehensive waste utilization, Mountain Eagle Paper insists on using waste paper as the main raw material, supplemented by commercial wood pulp, to reduce pollution, protect the environment and achieve win-win development of economy and environmental protection. The company's leading products, boxboard and corrugated medium, are packaging paperboard, which are economical, lightweight, easy to process, self-degradable and easy to recycle, and other green packaging materials. 
   In September 2010, the shareholders' meeting of Shangying Paper approved the investment in a paper sludge and slurry incineration power generation project with a total investment of 463 million yuan. The project can strengthen comprehensive utilization of resources and promote energy conservation, emission reduction and sustainable development. 
   In August 2013, Shouchuang announced that it had raised 2.5 billion yuan to increase its capital for water treatment and solid waste treatment.
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