Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from a Recycled Paper Mill, 1997 Environmental Conference Proceedings

Inland Paperboard and Packaging Inc. operates a 871 metric ton (960 ton) per day 100 percent recycled liner board/medium mill in Maysville, Kentucky. Initial volatile organic compound (VOC) emission calculations for the Maysville mill were based on the National Council for Air Stream Improvement (NCASI) data from a kraft pulp mill. In May 1996, the Maysville mill and NCASI conducted extensive testing to quantify and speciate the VOCs emitted from the production process. Samples were collected at 20 of the 31 vents. VOCs were speciated using NCASI’s dilution probe/ambient canister method. Results from the speciated NCASI data showed the recycled mill’s emissions much lower than a calculated emission rate using the kraft mill data. VOCs were also measured as total hydrocarbons (THC) using flame ionization detection (FID) as described by EPA method 25A. An outside contractor conducted the continuous method 25A testing at 3 of the 20 NCASI tested vents. The THC variability with time was determined by monitoring three different emission points for several days. The relative standard deviations varied from 5 % to 47%. Samples were also collected to assess the impact of 2 different “zero VOC” wire cleaners on emissions. The outside contractor data showed an increase in VOCs when one of the “non VOC” wire cleaners was applied and no change when the second “non VOC” wire cleaner was applied.