Environmental Management for Mini-Mills Located in Urban Areas, 1994 Environmental Conference Proceedings

J. R. Seay, M. D. Johnson

The production of paper products from recycled fiber furnish is a growing industry in this country. The source of material is commonly post-consumer waste generated in large quantities in urban areas. Because much of the cost of recycled fiber is due to transportation, a number of “mini-mills” have been built or planned in and around large population centers. The pulp and paper making process, combined with environmental management implications in urban locations, leads to unique challenges in the siting, permitting, licensing, design and operation of these mini-mills. Siting a manufacturing facility in an urban area raises air licensing considerations for selected pollutants, such as VOCs, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and TSP. Waste water will require some treatment or pretreatment for discharge to a POTW. The scarcity and high cost of solid waste disposal options have created the need for new approaches to waste minimization and beneficial use.