Columbia Pulp

Waste straw burned on wheat fields is one of Washington’s top sources of air pollution. Columbia Pulp purchases this straw to produce pulp and bio-polymers, creating a new revenue stream for wheat farmers that would typically go up in smoke.

Smart, Sustainable Business

Columbia Pulp’s 140,000-square-foot mill has created 100 family wage jobs in the agricultural communities of Dayton, Starbuck and Pomeroy, Washington. Straw purchases from local farmers exceed $15 million dollars every year.

An Economic Engine

Columbia Pulp eliminates the need for farmers to burn 250,000 tons of straw waste every year, improving air quality region-wide. Our state-of-the-art facility and locally-sourced feed stock reduce carbon emissions by 76 percent compared to traditional pulp mills.

Protecting the Environment

Creating a Sustainable Future

Columbia Pulp is North America’s first tree-free market pulp mill, using wheat farmers’ waste straw to create pulp for paper products as well as bio-polymers for a variety of industrial uses.

Latest News

Columbia Pulp’s Wheat Straw Successfully Trialed at Willamette Falls

Columbia Pulp's wheat straw successfully trialed at Willamette Falls and gains media attention. Read the full story: Paper mill in West Linn running again

Lyons Ferry Night Sky

Concerns arose during the project with regards to design where glare and night sky obscuring light from the outdoor lighting. Columbia Pulp were careful to choose International Dark Sky Association compliant fixtures and to design with glare in mind. The photo below was taken this week by Steve Martin and shows what the site looks like at dusk. Note [...]

CDFA Press Release

CDFA Announces Winners of the CDFA Excellence in Development Finance Award —Winners to be Recognized at CDFA National Development Finance Summit— Columbus, OH - The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) is proud to announce the winners of the CDFA Excellence in Development Finance Awards. These awards honor excellence in the use of financing tools for economic development, as [...]

Willamette Falls Paper Company Trials First Run of Non-wood Paper

Nov. 4, 2019 (Press Release) - Willamette Falls Paper Company in West Linn, Oregon, has made its first successful trial of non-wood paper grades using pulp from local agricultural waste — producing both coated and uncoated grades using 10% non-wood pulp fiber. Read more ...

Starbuck School District Donation

Kevin Gravis, left, receiving check from John Begley, Columbia Pulp CEO. On Thursday Oct 3rd, Kevin Gravis from the Starbuck School District was at our offices receiving a check from our Sponsorship and Donations Committee in the amount of $1000. This donation was given in request of Martha Lanman with Columbia County Public Health and the Starbuck [...]

Columbia Pulp starts up, expects straw pulp production this week

From Pulp & Paper Canada: Columbia Pulp’s new $250-million straw pulp mill in Washington is undergoing its start-up process. John Begley, the company’s CEO, tells Pulp & Paper Canada he anticipates the mill – located on the Lyons Ferry site outside Starbuck, Washington (two hours’ drive south of Spokane) – will be producing tree-free pulp by the end of [...]

Association of Washington Business (AWB)

2018 Operational Excellence Award

Recognizing a company that has a distinctive manufacturing process, including continuous improvement, innovations, lean and six sigma and/or application of high technology.