Chemicals

The pulp and paper industry ranks fourth among industrial sectors in emissions of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals to water, and third in such releases to air. (1)

These chemicals concentrate in the food chain as they are consumed by humans. (2)

Water

Water pollution suffocates fish, carries heavy metals, and smothers bottom-dwelling plants (3).

We may never completely understand of the individual toxicity of the hundreds of compounds in mill effluent, let alone their effects as a mixture. For example, of the 70,000 chemicals currently sold on the market, adequate toxicological data are available for about 10 to 20%. (4)

Solid Waste
Sludge is produced by every component of the pulp process, which, because of different disposal methods, pollute soil, air, and water. (5)

Air
The pulp and paper industry is the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases among manufacturing industries. (6, 7)

CITATIONS

(1) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. TRI Explorer , 2006. http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer

(3) World Health Organization. “Dioxins and their Effects on Human Health.” http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs225/en/index.html

(3) United States Environmental Protection Agency. Monitoring and Assessing Water Quality. http://www.epa.gov/volunteer/stream/vms52.html, 2006

(4) NTP Invites Chemical Nominations, Environmental Health Perspectives. 102:11, 1994.

(5) “Pulp and Paper Production Basics.” Reach for Unbleached Foundation, 2005. <http://www.rfu.org/cacw/basic.html>

(6) United States Energy Information Administration. Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey. 2002. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/efficiency/carbon_emissions/carbon_mfg.html#figure_1.

(7) Martin, N., N. Anglani, D. Einstein, M. Khrushch, E.Worrell, and L.K. Price. Opportunities to Improve Energy Efficiency and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U.S. Pulp and Paper Industry. Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, July 2000. http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/servlets/purl/767608-u2AeNa/native/767608.pdf