| Table 1. Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Dedicated Fiber crops, Agricultural Residues, and Tree Fibers | |||
| - | Dedicated Fiber Crop | Agricultural Residual Material | Trees |
| Yield, Dry T/acre/year | 5-15 | 1-4 |
Pacific NW
- 1-2 |
| Yield over time | High yield expectations may diminish over time | Constant | Constant |
| Pesticides - Weed Control | Medium | As already used for main crop | Zero except at time of replanting, once in 10-60 years |
| Pesticides - Insects | Not known | As already used for main crop | Zero except in isolated instances of beetle infestations |
| Fertilizers | Medium yearly requirement | As already used for main crop | Low twice in 10 years for plantations, Zero for forests |
| Need for bleaching | 10-15% less than hardwood | 10-15% less than hardwood | Based on softwood as standard, hardwoods 15% less. |
| Water for irrigation | Probably needed if rain fall less than 30 inches in growing season. | As already used for main crop | Not required |
| Water in pulping process | May be higher due to poorer drainage | May be higher due to poor drainage | Standard, being reduced by the industry |
| Energy in supplying the raw material | High, especially in annually harvested crops | Medium as some charged to main crop product | Low due to non annual harvesting |
| Pollution | Possibility of polluted run off from fields | Already exists for main crop | Low |
| Pollution from pulping | Slightly higher due to lower yields and poorer drainage | Slightly higher due to lower yields and poorer drainage | Standard |
| - Michael Jackson, Consultant, Tolovana Park, OR, personal response to Fiber Futures regarding differences between fibers, August 2002 | |||