Dissolving pulp's environmental impact depends on biomass source, with hardwood acetate worse for climate but better for ecosystems.
A study examined the environmental impact of making dissolving pulp (DP) from different trees for various uses like textiles and plastics. They used simulations to gather data and found that the type of tree affects the pollution caused. Hardwood (HW) pulp for acetate has more warming effects than softwood (SW) but is better for ecosystems. For viscose DP, HW and SW are similar in most impacts except for nutrient pollution. Emissions on-site and chemicals are big factors in all grades. The study's results help plan for making DP products more sustainably.