The Sri Lankan elephant (also known as Elephas maximus maximus) has
a very inefficient digestive system whereby almost 45% of it’s
food intake is passed through as undigested matter. As a result the elephant
spends most of it’s life eating and therefore has to seek out a
continuous and abundant supply of food and water to survive.
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Their
diet is strictly herbivorous indulging in a variety of grasses, leaves
and fruits. Most elephants consume 100 – 150 kilos (220 – 330
pounds) of food and 80 – 160 litres (20 – 40 gallons) of
water per day. |
| From all this,
Elephas maximus maximus produces about 1 tonne of waste material per
week. So you can see, there is a limitless supply of raw material !! |
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There are various ‘collection’ points
in the remote areas of Sri Lanka where the villagers deposit the waste
material they have collected. The waste material is then taken to be cleansed
and purified. This is done by thoroughly washing the material and boiling
for a considerable time. It is then dried and is converted into a high
concentrate dry paper pulp for exporting to the UK. This is undertaken
in collaboration with a paper mill which specialises in the production
of handmade and recycled papers, called Frogmore Mill. |
The
mill is privately owned and is situated between the Grand Union Canel
and the River Gade in an area close to Hemel Hempstead. The site contained
a waterwheel as early as 1219 for producing flour and later it alternated
between making flour and handmade paper according to the needs of the
local community. |
In
1803, the world’s first successful continuous papermaking machine – called
the Fourdrinier - was installed at the mill. Its revolutionary design
was the dawn of modern paper manufacture and remains today the main process
throughout the world. |
| But time has stood still at
the mill. In a world full of giant, fast and highly automated paper machined,
some up to 400 yards in length, the machine measures a mere 30 yards from
flow box to the reel stand. The ability of the mill to make quality papers
and boards relies almost entirely on the craftsmanship of the small team
of people who operate the mill. |
| The mill is in the process of developing their
site to enable groups to visit and are actively involved with the schools’ curriculum
education service. |
