Pulping Effluents in the Aquatic Environment: Data Compilation and Scientific Panel Report, 1990 Environmental Conference Proceedings

A thorough literature search was conducted through an independent contractor and data were compiled concerning pulping effluents in the aquatic environment. These data were reviewed by a panel of recognized scientific experts to address key questions regarding the environmental safety of these effluents, the sufficiency of available data, and the general applicability of research findings.

Recent environmental concerns in Sweden, specifically addressing aquatic damage in the Baltic Sea, have increased the attention given to pulp mill effluents, especially those containing chlorinated organic compounds. The Swedish experience has been widely reported, and various environmental and regulatory groups in the United States have questioned whether pulp bleaching practices in North America are compatible with healthy aquatic ecosystems downstream of pulp mills.

This paper describes the data compiled for the scientific panel, the panel’s charge and its conclusions. The data compilation alone was a major undertaking with the team reviewing over 2000 relevant published works and over 250 unpublished studies. The material for the panel review filled seven volumes, exceeded 7,000 pages and required more than 25,000 effort hours to prepare.