Valentyn Frechkaa young 23-year-old Ukrainian scientist, obtained the second place to the prestigious award “Young Inventors Prize” of the European Inventor Award 2024for its innovative technology that turns fallen leaves into paper which we had already told you about.
This discovery was born from his passion for the environment, inspired from an early age by the Carpathian landscapes and supported by a school project on chemistry. Frechka created Releaf Paper in 2020, a company that produces sustainable paper, eliminating the need to fell trees to obtain cellulose.
Releaf Paper’s technology is advanced and stands out for its eco-compatible process: the leaves collected in urban contexts are processed without the use of dangerous chemicals, reducing CO₂ emissions by 78% compared to conventional methods.
In practice, Releaf uses 2.3 tons of leaves to produce one ton of cellulose, avoiding the sacrifice of approximately 17 trees. In addition to saving trees, the process uses three times less energy And fifteen times less water compared to the traditional production of paper derived from wood, drastically reducing the environmental impact.
How the process of transforming leaves into cellulose occurs
Frechka and his team don’t just create sustainable paper but also aim to reduce waste from leaves which are usually burned or left to decompose, with a negative environmental impact. The process involves a series of steps to transform leaves into cellulose.
First the leaves come collected and cleanedTherefore transformed into granules And worked in reactors low water and energy intensity. This approach also allows us to recover lignin, a by-product that can be reused as a fertilizer, thus closing the production cycle in a sustainable way.
Frechka’s personal story took a turn in 2022 with the invasion of Ukraine. Forced to leave his country, he moved to Francewhere he expanded industrial production and collaborated with large clients such as L’Oréal and Chanel, promoting his technology on an international scale. Currently, Releaf Paper has initiated expansion plans to increase the production of sustainable packaging across Europe.
Releaf Paper’s innovation is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular regarding the reduction of deforestation and the promotion of responsible consumption and production. Thanks to these characteristics, Frechka and his company represent an example of how youthful ingenuity can contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.
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