| Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) bleaching -- based on chlorine dioxide -- is the superior
choice for pulp and paper manufacture. The science, a proven environmental track record,
and strong market demand demonstrate that ECF is without rival in terms of pollution
prevention, resource conservation, and product quality.
"Chlorine dioxide is a solution to dioxin and other persistent, bio-accumulative, toxic substances
in mill waste water."
- Dr. Robert Huggett, former U.S. EPA Assistant Administrator, Research &
Development
"ECF is an excellent example of enlightened industrial response to an environmental concern and
should be embraced by the environmental community."
- Professor Don Mackay, former member of the International Join
Comission, the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board and its Virtual
Elimination Task Force
"We were especially pleased that the 'best available technology ' selected for the papergrade
kraft mills was an Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) technology."
- Carol Browner, former U.S. EPA Administrator
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| Chemistry |
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While chlorine dioxide has "chlorine" in its name, its chemistry is very different from that
of chlorine gas... |
- Chlorine gas (Cl2) is made up of two chlorine atoms. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is
composed of one chlorine atom and two oxygen atoms. It is roughly 50 percent oxygen
by atomic weight.
- During the pulp bleaching process, chlorine tends to combine with lignin (the substance
that holds the wood fibers together) to create chlorinated organics that end up in mill
waste water.
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In contrast, chlorine dioxide typically breaks apart the lignin, leaving behind organic compounds
that are water soluble and very similar to those occurring naturally in the environment.
"The substitution of chlorine dioxide for elemental chlorine in the first stage of the bleaching
process reduces the discharge of chlorinated organic compounds." |
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| Dioxin Elimination |
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| The science is compelling: the ECF process prevents pollution. It virtually eliminates
dioxin in mill waste water... |
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| "A notable accomplishment occured when the pulp and paper industry changed its process for
pulp bleaching by substituting chlorine dioxide for elemental chlorine. This substitution virtually
eliminated the production of dioxins from pulp and paper mills." |
- International Joint Commission |
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| "The recent effort of the industry to deal with the dioxin problem can be regarded as a salutary
example to other industries..." |
- Barry Commoner et al., Center for the Biology of Natural Systems |
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| Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) bleaching, based on such chemicals as ozone and hydrogen
peroxide, was once trumpeted as environmentally superior to the ECF process. Yet, ... |
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| "Research carried out at universities in Gothenburg and Stockholm showed that effects of waste water from bleaching plant on water organisms is the same, irrespective of the bleaching method.
And the National Swedish Environment Protection Board refuses to classify the chlorine free
method as more environmentally friendly." |
- Svenska Dagbladet, Stockholm, Sweden |
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| "There is no appreciable environmental difference between TCF and ECF." |
- International Institute for Environment and Development |
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| Eco-system Recovery |
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| With the virtual elimination of dioxin in mill waste water, the U.S. EPA and Environmental
Canada has recorded significant improvements in aquatic eco-systems... |
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| Since 1990, state authorities have cleared, i.e., lifted, dioxin advisories from 25 waterbodies
downstream of pulp mills, which is 83 percent of the 30 such advisories in effect in 1990. In
2003, only 10 waterbodies have a dioxin advisory downstream of bleached chemical pulp mills.
These 10 affected waterbodies represent less than one-half of one percent of the total 2,618 U.S.
waterbodies under some type of an advisory. The U.S. EPA predicts that all remaining dioxin
advisories downstream of U.S. pulp mills should be lifted following completion of the industry's
conversion to ECF bleaching.
"Releases to effluents from the pulp and paper sector have been reduced to below the
measurable concentration' level as per the [Canadian Environmental Protection Act] regulations,
which is in keeping with the objective of virtual elimination. For this sector, for release to water, no
additional work is recommended."
"Contamination of fisheries by dioxin/furan releases in pulp mill effluent has stopped and
significant environmental improvements achieved. Approximately 46 percent of commercial
fisheries previously closed by dioxin contamination in coastal area of British Columbia have now
been reopened." |
- Environment Canada and Health Canada |
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| Resource Conservation |
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| ECF pulp provides for strong paper products and its manufacture places a lower strain on
precious forest resources... |
- ECF bleached pulps have a higher tear and fiber strength compared to TCF pulps.
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Studies indicate that TCF pulp manufacture may increase wood consumption up to 2.5 %
more than an ECF process.
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"ECF bleaching allows production of kraft pulps that meet the highest requirements with respect
to strength, brightness, brightness stability, cleanliness, etc." |
- Jan Rennel, Jaakko Pöyry Consulting AB, Stockholm, Sweden |
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| "The magazine paper makers (LWC) stated they required 10% more additional softwood kraft
when running TCF and TCF product had inferior reinforcing properties (~10%)." |
- Mike Bradley, Canfor Ltd. |
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| Market Response |
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| Demand for ECF pulp has dramatically increased in the last decade... |
- Worldwide, ECF production exceeded 63 million tonnes in 2002. That's 75 percent of the
world market. TCF production, in contrast, has stalled at 5 percent of the world market
and remains less one percent of the U.S. production.
- ECF pulp production in the U.S. has increased by more than 5,000 percent since 1990. It
now commands 96 percent of the U.S. bleached chemical pulp market.
- Former TCF mills in Germany and Sweden have converted to ECF production to meet
market demand.
- It is no wonder that with such continuing strong government support and overall
environmental integrity, new bleached chemical production coming on to the market will
use ECF-based bleaching technology
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| "The decision for our concept [bleaching strategy] was guided by the expectation that with ECF
we would find a market for 100% of our capacity and that this would not apply to TCF." |
- Dr. Karl Heinz Haller, Managing Director, Production/Research & Development,
Zellstoff Pöls AG, Austria |
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| References |
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- Dr. Robert Huggett, testimony given at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's public
hearing on the proposed Cluster Rule for the pulp and paper industry, Washington, DC,
Feb. 10, 1994.
- Don Mackay, "A Perspective on the Sources and Fate of Organochlorines," paper
presented at the Organochlorine Consortium meeting, Toronto, ON, June 1994, p. 5.
- Carol Browner, "The Cluster Rule: A Step Forward," PaperAge, July 1994, p. 26.
- Dahlman et al., "On the Nature of High Molecular Weight Effluent Materials from Modern
ECF- and TCF-Bleaching," Proceedings, 1994 International Pulp Bleaching Conference,
Vancouver, BC, June 1994.
- Paper Task Force, "Paper Task Force Recommendations for Purchasing and Using
Environmentally Preferable Paper," Project Synopsis, Dec. 1995, p. 14.
- International Joint Commission (IJC). 10th Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water Quality.
July, 2000
- Commoner et al., "Dioxin Fallout in the Great Lakes: Where It Comes From; How to
Prevent It; At What Cost (Summary)," Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, June
1996.
- "Chlorine-free Pulp is Not Better for the Environment," Svenska Dagbladet, Sept. 23,
1996, (translated from the Swedish).
- "A Changing Future for Paper," International Institute for the Environment and
Development, commissioned by the World Business Council for Sustainable
Development, 1996, p.7.
- EPA May 2002. Update: National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Consumption Advisories,
Fact Sheet. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water. EPA-823-F-02-007.
- Ibid.
- U.S. EPA, Regulatory Impact Assessment of Proposed Effluent Guidelines and NESHAP
for the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Industry, Nov. 1993, EPA-821-R-93-020.
- Environment Canada and Health Canada, Chlorinated Substances Action Plan: Progress
Report, Oct. 1996.
- Environment Canada and Federal and Provincial Task Force on Dioxins and Furans.
Dioxins and Furans and Hexachlorobenzene Inventory of Releases. A report prepared for
the Federal-Provincial Advisory Committee for the Canadian Environmental Protection
Act (CEPA-FPAC). January 1999.
- Jan Rennel, Jaakko Pöyry Consulting AB, Stockholm, Sweden, "TCF -- An Example of
the Growing Importance of Environmental Perceptions in the Choice of Fibres," Nordic
Pulp and Paper Research Journal, No. 1/1995, p. 32. .
- Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC). Reference Document on Best
Available Techniques in the Pulp and Paper Industry. European Commission.
Directorate-General. Joint Research Centre, Institute for Prospective Technological
Studies, Technologies for Sustainable Development. July 2000.
- Bradley, M., "Why Would Pulp and Paper Makers Consider Integrating Life-Cycle
Assessment Into Their Businesses." 1998 Paptac Annual Meeting. Montreal, Quebec.
- Trends in World Bleached Chemical Pulp Production: 1990-2001. Alliance for
Environmental Technology. January 2002
- Meadows, D. G., "Germany Rosenthal Mill Prospering after Conversion to Kraft Pulping"
Tappi Journal, Vol. 84. No. 1, January, 2001
- Larsson K-A., "Development at Aspa Mill". Nord. Papp. Massa no. 4, 2000, pp 48, 50-51
- Aracruz News. No. 19, Year 6. April, 2001.
- Stendal Finds Funds for Pulp. Pulp and Paper International. October 2001.
- Mesto Paper to Supply Pulping System for Arauco Valdivia in Chile. Pulp Market Update
Feb. 6-12, 2002. Paperloop.com
- Dr. Karl Heinz Haller, Zellstoff Pöls AG, Pöls, Austria, "A Decision in Favour of ECF:
What a Decision in the German-Speaking Area!" Proceedings, 1996 International Non-
Chlorine Bleaching Conference, Orlando, FL, March 1996, p. 10
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