Bamboo and sustainability

Did you know that species of bamboo are some of the fastest-growing plants in the world?

Some species can grow by 1 millimetre every 90 seconds and growth of over 1 metre in 24 hours has been observed for the Japanese giant timber bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides). For cultivated bamboos, a growth rate in the range 30 – 100 millimetres per day is more typical. Bamboos are members of the grass family (Poaceae) and depending on the species, they can reach several centimetres high or over 30 metres high at maturity.

As well as growing rapidly, bamboo grows easily. It is a robust and resilient crop requiring minimal intervention with fertilizers or pesticides and is able to thrive in various soil conditions without irrigation. Furthermore, harvesting does not kill the plant. Once the root systems are left intact, bamboo will quickly regrow and can reach full height in a single season. Its deep roots help prevent soil erosion. For these reasons, bamboo can be a very sustainable source of raw materials.

Most bamboo species are native to tropical and warm temperate climates. They are found in South and South East Asia and in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas. Bamboo has great cultural significance and tradition of use, particularly in several Asian cultures. In these regions, soft bamboo shoots, stems and leaves are a major food source for many animals such as the giant panda of China.

Bamboo is a hugely versatile raw material. It is a durable and resilient construction material offering high tensile strength but it is also lightweight. Its strength to weight ratio is comparable to timber. Bamboo has found uses in flooring, furniture, textiles and papers. In its moulded form, it is an alternative to plastic and can be found in items such as coffee cups, kitchen utensils and toothbrush handles.

Bamboo offers many benefits to us and our environment offering sustainability, climate change mitigation and economic benefits to local communities. However, we must analyse the full life cycle of bamboo materials and products before assuming these benefits and assess for unintended consequences.

What manufacturing processes were needed? Did the manufacturing processes require solvents and chemicals that are not environmentally friendly? How much water and energy were needed for processing? For example, the transformation of bamboo into textiles requires heavy processing. The short fibres cannot be transformed into yarn by a natural process and must be broken down with chemicals and mechanically extruded to produce rayon. Clothing, materials and other textiles labelled as ‘made with bamboo’ may not be as eco-friendly as consumers think when selecting them.

Where was the bamboo harvested? While we consider bamboo to be a sustainable crop that can benefit degraded soils, conversion of forest to bamboo groves can be detrimental to biodiversity and ecosystems. On the other hand, wild-harvesting of bamboo from forest areas may not be sustainable.

Where were the products produced and how far have they travelled? Bamboo products sold in Europe are likely to have travelled long distances from where the bamboo was grown and possibly processed. The carbon footprint of this may be substantial. Europe has sustainably managed forestry and forestry feedstocks are available for conversion to a wide range of products. Utilising local resources may be a more environmentally friendly option but we need full Life Cycle Analyses for products to understand the environmental impact and to be able to make informed comparisons.