Sector Assessments

Pollution Prevention Assistance Needs of the Georgia Pulp and Paper Manufacturing Sector

Organizational Needs

• Education on the value of pollution prevention programs that provide for audits, waste cost accounting, and implementation of projects.

This information may allow mills to upgrade existing outdated technologies by proving or disproving cost effectiveness for specific projects. Opportunities that are not obvious to mill personnel can be identified by conducting audits.

Technical Needs

• Information on leading industry and standard pulp and paper technologies.

Mills are generally aware of the major technologies used by the pulp industry. Specific information on the benefits of specific technologies is still needed. Several mills indicated that leading technologies such as belt washers and pressure washers had been installed, but provided less than expected performance. Technologies used by other industries for maintenance cleaning and coating, or water filtration may be of use to pulp and paper mills in replacing processes. Several requests for this type of information were made by mill staff during research for this paper.

Technology Research Needs

• Basic Research

Basic research needs of the pulp and paper industry are being met by various trade and educational institutions. Research currently focuses on enzyme and catalytic augmentation of current processes. Additional research involving zero-effluent mill design is ongoing. Some industry experts predict that the next century will bring totally biologic and enzymic pulping and bleaching which will reduce energy and chemical use.

• Applied Research

Of greater interest to pulp and paper mills is bringing current laboratory technology to the pulp mill. Enzymes, catalysts, alternative bleaching, water reuse technology, and advances in lime calcining are areas of applied research interest.

Approaches to Meeting Assistance Needs of Georgia Pulp and Paper Manufacturers

The following section discusses how P²AD will meet the pollution prevention needs of Georgia mills.

Meeting Organizational Needs

• Provide Pollution Prevention Training

Organization needs are primarily education and training of mill management and production staff on the pollution prevention techniques. The ultimate goal is to have each mill conduct pollution prevention assessment, evaluate results, and implement cost-effective solutions. Several Georgia mills and corporate organizations do have working pollution prevention plans in place.

Two roles that Georgia P²AD (in conjunction with Georgia Tech, UGA, IPST, Herty Foundation, etc.) can play in pulp and paper mill pollution prevention planning are to improve awareness among mill personnel and to facilitate communication between different pulp mills.

• Facilitate Exchange of Information Between Manufacturers

Facilitation can occur by identifying successful pollution prevention programs in pulp mills and educating other mills of success and opportunities identified. Publicizing successes through published information and providing public forums for information exchange are the methods that P²AD and its partners can use.

• Provide Experienced-based Training to Georgia Mills

Teaching and training mill personnel by offering industry wide and mill specific workshops are the suggested approaches for providing general pollution prevention training. Specific training on pollution prevention techniques applicable to a particular mill process is also needed. In order to meet these needs, P²AD and its partners must develop greater expertise in pulp and paper mill processes. P²AD will gain the needed expertise by participating in training offers extended by some of Georgia's paper mills. Additional expertise will be gained by conducting assessments with mill personnel at Georgia facilities. Contacts made during the research for this paper will likely lead to assessment opportunities. Training can take place by attending courses and seminars offered by TAPPI and other pulp and paper organizations.

Meeting Technical Needs

• Publish Fact Sheets and Case Studies on New and Standard Technologies

Technical needs are primarily information on new technologies as well as information on industry standard technologies for reducing waste and cost. Fact sheets providing general information on new technologies can be developed and can include enzyme, catalytic, and ozone processes. Case studies of implementation of mill standard technologies can be developed also and can include continuous digestion, belt washing, diffusion washing, extended delignification, oxygen delignification, and other mill processes. This information can also be presented in public forums at technology conferences. Cost reduction is perhaps the key issue when presenting case studies.

Meeting Research Needs

• Use Existing Research Resources

P²AD can aid in meeting applied research needs by encouraging the use of existing state resources such as IPST, Herty Foundation, and the research pulp mill at the University of Georgia. The NICE3 project with Weyerhaeuser and Altex is one such applied research project. Results of this project and other paper industry related projects will be provided to Georgia mills through fact sheets and workshops. P²AD will investigate state and national resources for pilot studies in pulping, bleaching, and paper making. This information can be distributed through fact sheets and workshops.

Any new or existing basic research needs can be identified though mill and corporate contact. P²AD will attempt to find existing research programs addressing a particular need. If research is not ongoing, contacts can be made at various educational and industry organizations to determine a course of action. This may include finding researchers with appropriate expertise, additional industries interesting in funding research, and other financial assistance sources.

Summary and Conclusion

The purpose of this study is to identify the pollution prevention needs of the Georgia pulp and paper industry. This information will be used to develop programs within P²AD or through partners to address industry needs. Some of the needs and methods of meeting needs are listed below.

• Significant opportunity does exist within Georgia pulp and paper manufacturers to reduce waste. Waste reduction has been accomplished at several mills by implementing pollution prevention programs to identify opportunities and implement cost-effective solutions. P²AD can provide the greatest assistance by facilitating the development of programs in all mills.

• Georgia mills need information to replace existing processes with more efficient technology. P²AD can assist by developing case studies for various mill standard and cutting edge technologies. Mills can also benefit by learning of technologies used by other manufacturing sectors to reduce waste from maintenance and other non-process related operations.

• Applied research is needed to industrialized new technologies. P²AD can educate mills on various applied research projects and resources in Georgia and nationally.

• New basic research needs probably exist concerning such issues as enzyme use. These issues will be identified through discussions with mill, corporate, trade, and research organizations. P²AD can assist in matching research needs with the appropriate technical and financial resources.

• P²AD will continue to seek educational resources for P²AD and partner organization staff with the goal of becoming well informed on pulp and paper mill industrial practices. P²AD cannot provide adequate assistance to Georgia mills without achieving a high level of expertise in pulp and paper technologies.