The Minimum-Impact Mill:“State-of-the-Art” Manufacturing

Douglas C. Pryke, P.Eng.Executive Director, AET

Alliance for Environmental Technology

Q u i c k T i m e ™ a n d a T I F F ( U n c o m p r e s s e d ) d e c o m p r e s s o r a r e n e e d e d t o s e e t h i s p i c t u r e .A Responsible Care® Supporting Association

Outline

Background

AET Minimum-Impact Mill Workshop, 1996

What is a Minimum-Impact Mill?

State-of-the-Art Manufacturing

Measures of Progress

The Future

Summary

Source: Canfor Ltd.

AET Mission: www.aet.org

To communicate, foster, and promote the environmental, economic, scientific, and technical benefits resulting from the responsible production and safe use of sodium chlorate and chlorine dioxide in bleached pulp manufacturing.

Key ActivitiesEcological Risk Assessment of the Use of Chlorine DioxideDocumenting Environmental Progress of Pulp and Paper IndustryMinimum Impact Mill Submissions to Regulatory AuthoritiesTracking Growth of ECFActive in Environmentally Preferable Paper Issue

Minimum-Impact Mills: Issues and Challenges -An AET Scientific Workshop

In September 1996, AET convened a scientific workshop attended by 70 representatives of the international pulp and paper industry, chemical industry, academia, government research, and consulting communities.

Purpose was to discuss and debate a number of questions at play in the industrial and NGO community

Concepts espoused at the time emphasized elimination of bleaching effluent:

Minimum-Impact Manufacturing, Minimum-Impact Mill, Bleach Filtrate Recovery®, Closed Loop Bleaching, Eco-Balanced Pulp Mill, Progressive Systems Closure, Closed Cycle Mill, Ecocylic Pulp Mill

Assertions Debated

Elimination of bleaching effluent is the “right thing to do” to improve the environmental performance of bleached kraft pulp mills with secondary effluent treatment

Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) and Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) bases processes are compatible with the minimum impact mill

Consensus Reached

“Based on current scientific evidence, the best approach to eliminating environmental responses is to focus on eliminating losses from spent pulping liquor and those containing wood extractives, and improving unbleached pulp washing to minimize carryover to bleaching, rather than eliminating bleaching effluent”

“Eliminating bleaching effluent might be considered where

Fresh water resources are scarce;The receiving water or ecosystem is particularly sensitive; orLow flow receiving waters are unable to assimilate the organic carbon load”

Consensus Reached“Both ECF and TCF are compatible with minimum impact mills and require:

System closure;Potassium control;Chloride control; and Must meet yield, quality, and energy targets”

“No bleached kraft pulp mills have successfully demonstrated, complete bleach plant effluent elimination”

“There are no zero effluent bleached kraft mill bleach plants”

Consensus Reached: The Minimum-Impact Mill

“A completely ecocyclic system for high quality pulp and paper production which efficiently utilizes the energy potential of the biomass”

“An ecologically sound industry, producing recyclable products from renewable resources”

“An industry we are so proud of we encourage our grandchildren to join”

Source: Veracel Celulose

The Minimum-Impact Mill

Minimizes the number of trees used to make a piece of paper

Maximizes energy production

Minimizes water consumption, solid waste, and air emissions

Make high quality paper that is easily recyclable

Treats and disposes of waste optimally

Creates sustainable value to society

Source: Celcius Degree

State-of-the-Art Mills

Mills and fiberlines that encompass “State-of-the-Art” technology and management practices that have recently started up are:

Stendal, GermanyAracruz, Line C, BrazilBowater, Catawba SC, USAAracuco Celulosa, Validivia ChileVeracel Celulose, Bahia, Brazil

Source: Celcius Degree

State-of-the-Art Mfg. Example:Veracel Celulose S.A., Brazil

Source: Veracel Celulose

Veracel Celulose

Veracel Celulose

Mill is located in state of Bahia in Brazil

Ownership is 50% Aracruz Celulose and 50% StoraEnso

Production is 900,000 t/y bleached eucalyptus market pulp for printing and writing grades

Investment for the mill $US 860 million

Started up May 2005

Forest ManagementTotal area for management is 173,000 ha of which:

74,440 ha is planted eucalyptus85,122 ha is protected Atlantic rainforest

Certified to Brazilian CERFLOR standards

Seeking FSC Certification

Mosaic concept planting

Debarking in the forest

Preservation and restoration of Atlantic Rainforest

Collaborating with Conservation International

Source: Veracel Celulose

From Seedling to Forest

From Seedling to Forest

From Seedling to Forest

From Seedling to Forest

From Seedling to Forest

The Minimum-Impact Mill

Minimizes the number of trees used to make a piece of paper

Maximizes energy production

Minimizes water consumption, solid waste, and air emissions

Make high quality paper that is easily recyclable

Treats and disposes of waste optimally

Creates sustainable value to society

Debarking

Chipping

Digesting

Washing

Screening

Bleaching

Cleaning

Paper Machine or Pulp Dryer

Pulping Chemicals

Chemicals

Logs

Sawmill Residue

Recovery

The Paper Mill Flowsheet

Maximizing Yield

Barking in the forest to provide nutrients - minerals, carbon, and soil protection

Efficient wood chipping to minimize fines and oversize

Modern digester systemSelective to lignin, preserve celluloseCooking to a relatively high lignin content (kappa no.)Efficient knot removal and screening systemRe-cook knots and screen rejects - no waste

Source: Veracel Celulose

Maximizing Yield Selective two-stage oxygen delignification

Excellent lignin removal with cellulose preservation

Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) bleaching sequence

Excellent lignin removal with cellulose preservationMinimum damage to cellulose fibresHigh pulp strengthHigh brightness

Source: Veracel Celulose

Maximize Energy ProductionBurning of over/under sized chips and log area bark waste in fluidized bed power boiler

Efficient recovery, evaporation, and combustion of black liquor in recovery boiler

Recovery boiler provides 90% of energy production; andMill steam requirements

Minimize within mill power consumption with power saving technologies such as variable frequency drives etc.

70% of power generated is consumed and 30% is renewable “green” power exported to grid Produced Consumed Exported

0

20

40

60

80

100

120Megawatts

Minimize Water ConsumptionDry debarking system;

Evaporator condensate recovery and reuse for within mill washing;

Counter current washing with high efficiency washers;

Filtrate reuse within the bleach plant; and

Surface condenser water reuse using cooling towers * Predicted

1994 2004 20060

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90m3/ADt

Median

State-of-the-Art

Veracel

*

Minimize Solid WasteDe-barking in forest;

Re-cooking knots and pulp screening rejects;

Primary sludge fiber enters the local recycled fibre market, e.g., egg cartons

Secondary treatment spent biomass, boiler ash, and yard wood waste composted and sold to local farmers

75% of solid waste generated leaves site as a product

Generated Sold Landfilled0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35kg/ADt

Minimize Air EmissionsLow odor design recovery boiler

Condensate stripping and combustion of odorous gases

Low and high concentration non-condensable gas collection and combustion

Elimination of dissolving tank vent

Electrostatic precipitators on recovery boiler and lime kiln

Filter bags for fluidized bed power boiler

1994 2004 20060.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60TRS, kg/ADt

Median

State-of-the-Art

Veracel

1994 2004 20060.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0SO2, kg/ADt

Median

State-of-the-Art

Veracel

High Quality Pulp for PaperSelective two-stage oxygen delignification

Excellent lignin removal with cellulose preservation

Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) bleaching sequence

Using chlorine dioxide, oxygen and peroxide Excellent lignin removal with cellulose fibre quality preservationHigh pulp strengthExcellent run-ability on paper machinesHigh recycle-abilityHigh brightness 90% ISOLow brightness reversion

Source: Veracel Celulose

High Quality Pulp for Paper

Graphic shows growth of ECF bleaching technology since 1990

In 2005 more than 70 million tonnes ECF represented 84% of world bleached chemical pulp production (excluding China and India)

TCF represents ~ 5% of market and is forecast to decline

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100Millions of Tonnes

ECF

TCF

Other

Forcast Growth

Source: AET

Eco-System ProtectionUtilization of ECF bleaching technology

Elimination of 2378-TCDD and 2378-TCDF to non-detectable levels

Elimination of polychlorinated phenols to non-detectable levels

Compliance with the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Treaty) Draft Guidelines for Bleached Chemical Pulp Production

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Chlorine Dioxide Substitution, %

Dio

xin,

ppq

Not Detected

Eco-System Protection:Waste Treatment

PrimaryClarifier

AerationBasin

SecondaryClarifier

UreaPhosphoric

Acid

MixTank

Sludge Removal

RiverFrom

Pulp Mill

To Power Boiler

Source: N. McCubbin Consultants, Inc.

Waste TreatmentPrimary clarification to remove suspended material

Secondary biological treatment to minimize oxygen demand when waste water sent to receiving environment

95% BOD removal70% COD removal

Effluent introduced into receiving environment via submerged diffusers

Aquatic environmental assessment program implemented

Source: Canfor Ltd.

Source: Celcius Degree

Ecosystem Protection

1994 2004 20060.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0BOD, kg/ADt

Median

State-of-the-Art

Veracel

1994 2004 20060.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0COD, kg/ADt

Median

State-of-the-Art

Veracel

Sustainable Value to SocietyTotal investment for new State-of-the-Art mill such as Veracel

$US 1.2 billion$US 860 million for mill$US 360 million for infrastructure

Local residents trained for highly skilled employment in the mill operation

3900 permanent employees in forestry, mill and corporate offices

Foreign exchange creditsSource: Veracel Celulose

Sustainable Value to Society$US 12 million is being invested in local social projects

Projects to improve sanitation, health, education and security in local region

Partnerships with local industries:

ApicultureFurniture manufacturingIndigenous Seedling Program

Others18%

Health23%

Education and culture19%

Safety3%

Environmental sanitation

37%

Source: Veracel Celulose

The Minimum-Impact Mill

How far have we traveled along the road to the Minimum-Impact Mill

Example that follows shows the changes over the last 30 years for a annual production of ~ 1 million tonnes per year (3000 t/d)

Water UseOrganic DischargeSuspended solids in waste waterSO2

Elimination of POPs and Ecosystem Recovery

Industry Progress: 3000 t/d Bleached Pulp Production

1975 1995 20060

50

100

150

200

250

300Volume, '000 m3/day

1975 1995 20060

5

10

15

20

25

30

35BOD, t/day

1975 1995 20060

5

10

15

20

25

30Suspended Solids, t/day

1975 1995 20060

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40SO2, t/day

Industry Progress

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1999

Canadian Bleached Chemical Pulp and Paper Mills: Elimination of

Dioxin

Dioxin TEQ- grams per year

'90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '070

5

10

15

20

25

30

Waterbodies with Dioxin Advisory

Advisories Lifted

Projected

Lifting of Fish Consumption Dioxin AdvisoriesDownstream of U.S. Pulp and Paper Mills

Source: AET

The Future

The Future

Bio-refinery ConceptsChemical feed stocks for pharmaceuticalsLignin for fossil fuel replacementEnergy self-sufficiencyGreen power exportsDesigned cellulose products

Continued Progress in Environmental ProtectionAdvanced treatment processesElimination of biological responses in ecosystemFurther minimization of water consumption

Summary

Minimum Impact Manufacturing has and will continue to be the vision of the pulp and paper industry

Today’s State-of-the-Art mills compared to 1975:Use less wood to make a piece of paper;Are energy self sufficient and export green power to the grid;Use 70% less water, discharge less solid waste, and emit 96% less SO2 and 90% less odorous compounds;Protect the ecosystem with advanced wastewater treatmentn Discharging 95% less Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)n Discharging 90% less Suspended Solidsn Discharging no Persistent Organic Pollutants

Creates high quality recycleable products while providing sustainable value to society

Summary

The industry’s environmental progress over the last 30 years, while maintaining economic viability, bodes well for the next 30 years, and provides confidence that the Minimum-Impact Mill of the next generation will be realized

“It is an industry we are so proud of we encourage our grandchildren to join”

Acknowledgement

The member companies of AET:ERCO WorldwideEka KemicalsKemira ChemicalsCanexus ChemicalsTronox Inc.Chemtrade Logistics

Aracruz Celulose and StoraEnso and most of all

The team at Veracel for their willingness to share their commitment to sustainablility with me and the privilege to present it.