5. How the paper industries use layer and

superficial water and the problems that derive

from this.

Water promotes and determines the economy of our territory.

You could count at least 40, and they were mills, textile and woollen industries.

The most important were: the Textile industry “Oliva” at Piaggione the hessian jute factory “Balestrieri” in Ponte a Moriano, the thread factory Niemack (later Cucirini Cantoni &Coats) at Acquacalda.

In the 1910s the first paper mills and factories were set up.

 

Jutificio «Balestrieri»

Cucirini Cantoni Coats

The bond between water and the

industries of Lucca has always been

decisive.

In the 1920s, along this course, there

were a lot of factories quite

important for the economy of the city.

Today a lot of the ancient mills have become museums ( The Menicone Mill), some big industries have closed (the hessian jute factory “Balestriere and the thread factory Cucirini Cantoni &Coats) others have been bought by international firms (Italcarta), very few are still owned by the original families of Lucca (Pasquini of the Paper factory Lucart and Stefani-Lazzereschi for Sofidel)

Molino Menconi

Lucart

Cardella

Water can be considered

one of the main resources

used in the paper process

Environmental impact of the paper factories

Use of water

Water sewers

Use of Energy (electrical, fuels)

Visual impact

Emergencies (fires, loss of liquids)

Use of chemical products

SmellsWaste

Contamination and use of soil

Emissions in the atmosphere

Noise

How the water layer of the Plain of Lucca has dropped in time

Measures adopted by the paper industry in

relation to pumping water from the

underground water tables

The firms have now started to study and test

how to manage in an efficient way this resource,

through the recycling of water in the phases of the

working process so as to limit the pumping of

water from the wells.

Water use in the paper industry

Today the province of Lucca remains the seat of one of the most important Italian paper groups for

the production of packaging and tissue paper. In addition to the paper factories there are also

numerous factories for the transformation of paper into finished products.

This aspect, as we have already seen in the

previous section, is particularly important for

the Plain of Lucca, which presents a drop in the

layer level.

The use of water in great quantities has caused

serious environmental damages which are now

unsustainable.

To reduce further the

pumping from the water layer

an industrial aqueduct called

“tubone” was built, it takes

water from the river Serchio

through a pre-existing canal

(fossa Nuova) that originates

in Ponte a Moriano and

reaches Camigliano.

Afterwards, with an interred

pipe, from Camigliano it

should take the water of the

industrial area of Capannori

Porcari to the purifying plant

Casa del Lupo.

Acquedotto delle Cerbaie

Pozzi di Paganico

Fossa Nuova

TUBONE

The present system of the new canal “tubone” which is used to

deviate the water of the river Serchio.

The recycling of water in the paper industry

Purification plant

Water which flows back from the

productive process

Rain water

Water which flows back from sewers

Chemical-physical treatment

Anaerobic treatment

Biological treatment

To the Purification

plant ACQUAPUR

Re-used for the productive process

The

biological/

anaerobic

phase

produces

biogas which

is sent to the

section of

energetic re

cycling for the

production of

electrical

Energy.

Results reached

and

some problems

5,95,6

5,3

4,24,4

Tissue Packaging

Results reached

in “the environmental declaration EMAS – the Paper district of Capannori” is praised as

excellent , it reports that :

“the performances reached in the use of water make the paper factories of the Plain of Lucca an

international excellence. Results like those indicated by the graph are hardly ever reached

elsewhere.” This has also been confirmed by the average values reported in Bref (Best Reference

Document of the European

Commission) which reports

the best techniques available

in the field of application

according to the IPPC

indications

– which can be seen in

this graph.

… some problems. Using less water means:

A biological increase

A higher

concentration of

pollutants

In addition the unsuccessful cleansing system, and the

irregular water supply have not permitted a definite

stop in the use of layer water.

The output of strong smells

Purifying plant - Casa del Lupo