Paper from panda poop

Apaper enthusiast has successfully made paper from panda poop.

The unusual achievement comes after years of experiments at his paper mill in Qiliang village, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said to be the place where Cai Lun invented paper during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).

Liu Xiaodong, a former primary school headmaster, has been studying the original ancient methods of making paper since he retired eight years ago.

He says his revival of an ancient production method is completely environmentally friendly. Unlike modern paper-making, which involves chemicals like caustic soda, he pickles the wood used as a raw material and the liquid used is so clean afterwards it can be put in a fish tank.

Liu and his assistants often go to the giant panda research and breeding center 10 kilometers from their village to pick up panda poop.

"We used to bury or burn the panda poop but now we are happy to see Mr Liu is recycling it in an environmentally-friendly way," says Zhou Juanhua, a researcher at the base.

It has taken Liu two years of experiments to make something resembling rice paper from a combination of panda poop, kiwi vines and mulberry.

He hopes the paper will become a popular product to be given as a gift.