EPA:n Cluster Rule loppusuoralla - uudet vaatimukset teollisuuden haasteiksi?

摘要

The US Environmental Protection Agency is currently revising the effluent discharge and air emissions limitations for the pulp and paper industry. The paper describes the components of the new Cluster Rule which now is in its final revision stage for the bleached kraft and sulfite industry (excluding dissolving pulp). Existing bleached kraft pulp mills are required to convert to ECF bleaching (and may install O2 delignification or extended cooking as an optional incentive), while new mills are required to have both O2-delignification or extended cooking and ECF-bleaching. Collection and incineration of named odorous gas streams and condensate steam stripping (or hard piping to effluent treatment) is required, as well as scrubbing of bleach plant vent gases. Best Management Practices for prevention of spills and accidental discharges need to be planned and implemented in all mills. A comparison of the proposed numerical effluent discharge limits with EKONO data for the US kraft pulping industry 1994 discharges reveals that about 40 - 60 % of the production need to reduce the BOD and TSS discharges, while more than 80 % of the production has to reduce the AOX discharge as a result of the Cluster Rule.