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... tat requirements of birds, reptiles, and amphibians in 30, 000 acres of industrial forests managed by International Paper Company in South Carolina. As part of the study, the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and Clemson University are focusing on how the forest-management practices affect the habitat and diversity of amphibians and reptiles. Other participants include the National Council of the Paper Industry for Air and Stream Improvement, the U. S.
Forest Service Center for Forested Wetlands, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "The U. S. Forest Service is developing a global-information-system-based tool that combines research from this and other studies into one database to assist forest managers around the country" (National Audubon Society, 1997). Pulping is the process of converting timber into a substance that can be used for paper manufacturing. "The production of pulp is the major source of environmental impacts in the pulp and paper industry" (EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015, 1995).
The basic steps in the pulping process and the byproducts produced are discussed below: Lumber is debarked and chipped. This wet form of debarking is water intensive, dry debarking uses larger amounts of energy. The residual solid waste must be disposed of, and the water used decontaminated (Smook, 1992). Wood fibers, called cellulose, are separated from the lignin (the glue like substances that keeps the tree together), to break down the wood. Chemical pulping, which is used in 84 % of U.
S. production plants, combines chemicals and heat to break down the lignin. This process emits a number of hazardous air pollutants including: particulate, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides (Smook, 1992), formaldehyde, methanol, acetaldehyde, and methyl ethyl ketone (EPA- 821 -F- 97 - 011, 1997). Mechanical pulping uses physical force to grind down and separate the fiber.
It is used in approximately 10 % of wood pulp production, and requires a high amount of energy (Smook, 1992). Pulp bleaching is performed in approximately 50 % of pulp produced in the U. S. "Bleached pulps create papers that are whiter, brighter, softer and more absorbent."The most common chemicals used in the bleaching process are sodium hydroxide, elemental chlorine, and chlorine dioxide" (EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015, 1995). This process introduces chloroform, dioxins and furans into the wastewater (EPA- 821 -F- 97 - 011, 1997). "The pulp and paper industry is the largest industrial process water user in the U. S. In 1988, a typical pulp and paper mill used 16, 000 to 17, 000 gallons per ton of paper produced" (EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015, 1995).
Governmental Regulation on the Pulp and Paper Industry Since establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, the pulp and paper industry has been subject to Federal water and air pollution guidelines (Smook, 1992). Failure to comply results in significant fines, however in some instances, fines have been reduced in exchange for implementing pollution reduction processes (EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015, 1995). "Pulp and paper mills have made significant investments in pollution control technologies and processes. According to industry sources, the pulp and paper industry spent more than $ 1 billion per year from 1991 - 1994 on environmental capital expenditures" (EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015, 1995). The EPA is in the process of implementing a new "cluster rule." The goal is to "cut toxic air pollutant emissions by almost 60 percent from current levels, and virtually eliminate all dioxin discharged from pulp, paper, and paperboard mills into rivers and other surface waters" (EPA- 821 -F- 97 - 010, 1997).
The EPA estimates that the pulp and paper industry will need to invest approximately $ 1. 8 billion in capital expenditures, and $ 277 million per year in operating expenditures to comply with the cluster ruling (EPA- 821 -F 97 - 010, 1997). Methods Employed to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Pulp Production Bark and other waste woods are used for mulch, ground cover or in charcoal. Between 1972 and 1990, the use of waste wood and spent liquor for fuel has increased from 40 % to 55 %, reducing the total fossil fuels usage (Exhibit 1) (Smook, 1992). Chemical recovery systems, which reclaim chemicals from the spent cooking liquor are approaching a 98 percent retention rate (EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015, 1995). "In recent years, the amount of water consumed by pulp and paper mills has been dramatically reduced", due to recycling and reusing mill process waters (Smook, 1992). For the adsorption of particles, gases and odors, wet scrubbers, fabric filters, gravel bed filters and electrostatic precipitators are being used in smokestacks (Smook, 1992). Oxidation lagoons, and activated sludge tanks are used to duplicate nature's own purification process at accelerated rates. "Under aerobic conditions, microorganisms (mostly bacteria and fungi) consume oxygen to convert organic waste into the ultimate end products of carbon dioxide and water" (Smook, 1992).
There has been a trend toward reductions in both the types and amount of chlorine and chlorine-containing chemicals used for pulp bleaching. Based on American Forest and Paper Association data, " 9 out of 10 pulp and paper mills currently in operation have non-detectable levels of dioxin in effluent" (EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015, 1995). Reusable fibers and chemicals in the effluent represent a costly loss to the mill. "Therefore, all actions taken to "tighten up" the process will have the dual benefits of lower raw material cost and reduced pollution loading" (Smook, 1992). It should be noted that increased operating costs would ultimately be passed on to the consumer. Given the dependence of United States business and industry on paper and related products, this could have a significant impact on the economy.
In conclusion, the paper industry is making great strides to implement alternate methods that have a wholly positive impact on the environment. The paper industry is dependent upon the sustainability of our forests, and is continually evaluating its cutting methods and replanting practices to curb deforestation. There is a need to continue to improve production processes in order to reduce water, chemical and energy usage and pollution to both lower costs and meet EPA regulations. Continued increases in the use of recycled paper, and further implementation of alternative fiber products will enable the paper industry to maintain the competitive advantage it currently enjoys, while decreasing the need for new timber.
This coupled with governmental regulations will continue to improve the long-term environmental impacts of the paper making processes on the environment. Bonner, N. and G. Trial. 1997. Deforestation: An Environmental Perspective.
Time. 17 (3): Brown, A. , P. Dixon and D. Harvey. 1998. Forest Management in the 20 th and 21 st Century.
Bryant, D. , D. Nielson and L. Tangled. 1997. The Last Frontier Forests.
World Resources Cooper, M. Saving Forests. CQ Researcher. 1 (19): 681 - 704. Davidson, J. 1998.
The Factors of Recycling. Mother Earth News 61 (4): 10 - 11. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Compliance Sector Notebook Project. 1995. Profile of the Pulp and Paper Industry. EPA/ 310 -R- 95 - 015. 140 p.
Gallant, R. 1991. Earth's Vanishing Forests. Macmillan Publishing Co. New York. 162 p. Knight, P. 1996. Better Than it Looks on Paper.
New Scientist 151 (2049): 16 - 17. Lansky, M. 1992. Beyond the Beauty Strip. Tilbury House Publishers. Gardiner, ME. 453 p. Martin, M. 1997.
Kenaf: An Ecological Alternative to Virgin-Wood Based Pulp. Science 20 (8): Montavalli, J. 1998. Beyond Wood: Tree-free and Chlorine-free Papers Offer Alternatives to Forest Destruction. Science 36 (4): 25 - 27.
National Audubon Society. Industrial Ecology. 99 (3): 120. Office of Water. 1997. EPA's Final Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard "Cluster Rule" - Overview. Office of Water. 1997. The Pulp and Paper Industry, the Pulping Process, and Pollutant Releases to the Environment.
EPA- 821 -F- 97 - 011. 3 p. Play, N. 1997. Hemp: The Hardy Paper Corp: A Venerable Fiber Source for an Ecologically Sound Future. Earth News 1022 (1): 1 - 5. Rosmarin, H. 1997. The Non-paper Paper.
Science 21 (2): 33 - 36. Smith, Y. 1994. Tree Free by 2003? Entrepreneurs are Hot on the Non-wood Paper Trail. Smook, G. 1992. Handbook for Pulp & Paper Technologists.
Second Edition. Angus Wilde Young, A and D. Rufus. 1997. The Problem of Paper Consumption and its Solutions. National Zuckerman, S. 1991. Saving Our Ancient Forests.
Living Planet Press. Venice, CA. 116 p. D. Objective: To discuss the impact that current methods of paper production have on the environment, and the advances in developing new technologies and alternative products that are being used to II. Environmental Impact of Timber Procurement 2.
Environmental effects of deforestation a. industry acknowledgement of environmental effects C. Wood fiber plants to alternative processing/ recycling plants 3. processing requires less chemicals 3. lower lignin / lower chemicals / less energy 1.
more technology / more experimentation 3. current alternative product companies A. The national Audubon Society/International Paper Company V. Pulp and Paper Production Process B. Wood fibers are separated from lignin 3. chemicals and heat break down lignin VI.
Governmental Regulations on the Pulp and Paper Industry VII. Methods Employed to Reduces the Environmental Impact of Pulp Production C. Wet scrubbers, fabric filters etc. A. The paper industry is making great strides to implement alternate methods that have a wholly positive impact on the environment. B.
There is a need to continue to improve portion processes C. Continued use of recycled paper / decreasing need for timber D. Continual regulation by the government E. Result in improvements in the long term environmental impacts of the paper Bibliography:
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Research essay sample on Environmental Protection Agency Paper Industry
