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12 Environmental Psckaalnn Guidelines
certain industrial processes. Krafl pulping mills produce two percent of the
yearly estimated production of dioxins from all sources.
Studies by the EPA, AFPA. and NCASl indicate that about 300 different
chlorinated compounds called organochlorines, which include dioxins and
furans, occur in pulp mill bleachery effluent. These studies further concluded
that the source of these toxic discharges is the bleaching plant, that portion of
the mill that converts brown pulp to white. Figure 1 on page 13 is a schematic
which illustrates the pulp and paper manufacturing process including waste
byproducts generated.
Chlorine gas used in the first stage of the bleaching process forms the
organochlorines. Once formed, the organochlorines are introduced into the
ecosystem through various channels which include:
Pulp mill effluent discharges into streams
Incineration of pulp mill sludge
Landfill of pulp mill sludge
Use of pulp mill sludge to improve crop soils (sludge farming)
Disposal (incineration and/or landfill) of the bleached paper product