On September 21st, Liem Khe Fung, the innovation director of Indonesian tobacco paper production company PT Bukit Muria Jaya, attended the GTNF Forum in Seoul, South Korea. During an interview with 2FIRSTS, he expressed the increasing demand for environmentally friendly products in the tobacco industry as environmental awareness continues to grow. In order to address this issue, PT Bukit Muria Jaya has decided to develop a new type of biodegradable paper filter to tackle environmental challenges.
Liem Khe Fung stated that the reason for their company’s venture into the paper filter business is twofold. Firstly, as a company focused on tobacco paper manufacturing with decades of experience, they saw this as a natural progression. Secondly, they are actively pursuing innovation and aiming to provide an environmentally friendly solution for the tobacco industry. By addressing the current issues of high prices and limited supply of cellulose acetate filters, they hope to contribute to the industry in a positive way.
Liem Khe Fung said, “We aspire to innovate and address our customers’ problems. We aim to assist customers in their cigarette production, as this is the only way they will purchase our paper. As a result, our future development will focus on both paper manufacturing and collaboration with filter companies to develop environmentally friendly filters.
In comparing the paper filters used in e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, Liem Khe Fung stated that the current performance of paper filters on the market cannot match that of traditional cellulose acetate filters. Paper filters absorb moisture, leading to a decrease in performance, while cellulose acetate filters are unaffected by moisture. However, the company is currently developing a cellulose-based material that is both water-repellent and biodegradable to improve the performance of paper filters.
According to Liem Khe Fung, they are actively seeking innovative solutions to address the issue of waste from disposable filters. Traditional disposable filters, especially those made of polycarbonate, pose a challenge for recycling and degradation due to their plastic properties, which burdens the environment. The company’s innovation aims to not only excel in filter performance but also make a significant contribution to environmental sustainability.
Although the growth of the e-cigarette market may have an impact on the traditional tobacco industry, Liem Khe Fung suggests that the current influence of e-cigarettes on the Indonesian market is not significant. This is because Indonesians tend to prefer clove cigarettes, which are not easily replaceable by e-cigarettes. However, they also plan to shift a portion of their production capacity towards manufacturing paper for food packaging in order to adapt to market changes in the future.
Liem Khe Fung emphasized that their research and development team has been working tirelessly to ensure that their products excel not only in performance but also make a positive contribution to the environment and sustainable development. They believe that their innovative paper filter will provide a viable solution for a market with growing environmental awareness, aiming to improve the environmental issues associated with disposable filters.
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