Eco-friendly firm making paper out of kangaroo poop

(AP)(CANBERRA, Australia) - An environmentally friendly paper manufacturer has stumbled upon an unlikely way to put an unwanted natural resource to good use.

The company has created its first batch of paper from marsupial manure.

Land owners around the Tasmania state town of Burnie helped scrape together 55 pounds of kangaroo and wallaby dung for the local business, Creative Paper Tasmania, to make the unique paper pulp, manager Joanne Gair said Tuesday.

"It's a great product for tourists but it's also something that gets our eco-friendly message home to a lot of people," said Gair, whose paper products contain no wood.

The sand-colored sheets will be embossed with the words "Genuine Kangaroo Poo," she said. Roughly 400 sheets can be made from 55 pounds of the fibrous droppings.

"We've got enough to make our first batch but if we're going to get into serious production, we're going to need a bit of assistance," she said.