Page 404 - Solid Waste Analysis and Minimization a Systems Approach

382 PAPER MANUFACTURING APPLICATIONS

28.3 Constraints and Considerations

The number of trees and other vegetation cut down in order to make paper can be enor-
mous. Paper companies insist that they plant as many new trees as they cut down.
Environmentalists contend that the new growth trees, so much younger and smaller
than what was removed, cannot replace the value of older trees. Efforts to recycle used
paper (especially newspapers) have been effective in at least partially mitigating the
need for destruction of woodlands, and recycled paper is now an important ingredient
in many types of paper production. The key constraints for paper production can be
separated into five areas:

■ Pulp fiber length—Paper fibers can be recycled only a limited number of times
before they become too short or weak to make high-quality paper. This means the
broken, low-quality fibers are separated out to become waste sludge. These paper
mill sludges consume a large percentage of our local landfill space each year. Worse
yet, some of the wastes are land spread on cropland as a disposal technique, raising
concerns about trace contaminants building up in soil or running off into area lakes
and streams. Some companies burn their sludge in incinerators, contributing to our
serious air pollution problems. Finding alternative uses for this sludge versus land-
fill disposal will divert a large amount of waste for this sector.
■ Chemical contamination—All the inks, dyes, coatings, pigments, staples, and sticky
items (tape, plastic films, etc.) are also washed off with the recycled fibers to join the
waste solids. The shiny finish on glossy magazine–type paper is produced using a fine
kaolin clay coating, which also becomes solid waste during recycling. The chemicals
used in paper manufacture, including dyes, inks, bleach, and sizing, can also be harm-
ful to the environment when they are released into water supplies and nearby land
after use. The industry has, sometimes with government prompting, cleared up a large
amount of pollution, and federal requirements now demand pollution-free paper pro-
duction. The cost of such clean-up efforts is passed on to the consumer.
■ Governmental regulations—These regulations are intended primarily to control
conventional pollutants from pulp and paper mills in order to protect fish and their
habitat. Pollutants of concern are suspended solids, biochemical oxygen-
demanding matter, and effluent that are acutely lethal to fish. The regulations often
require that the industry establish an environmental effects monitoring program.
The program is intended to provide information to evaluate the need for further con-
trol measures, by evaluating the effectiveness of existing control measures and by
assessing changes in the receiving environment.
■ Cost of equipment—The cost of equipment can be prohibitive and can cost thou-
sands of dollars to purchase and install.
■ Invest the extra time, space, and employee training and re-training to sort waste
and recyclable materials—Training and employee involvement are key elements to
the success of the recycling program. Creating a strong, well planned system at the
beginning will save many headaches and additional costs for the organization at a
later point in time.