The Impact of The Pulp & Paper Industry
The ‘pulp and paper’ industry is one of the largest users of fresh water in the industrial economy. It is widely reported that it requires an average of 54 m3 of water to produce a metric ton of wood pulp or paper, and almost all phases of the manufacturing process require water.
About 85% of the industry water use is for process water, which is contaminated during the manufacturing process with:
- sediments
- effluent solids
- chlorinated organic compounds
- organic halides (AOX)
- chemical oxygen demand (COD) contaminants
- biological oxygen demand (BOD) contaminants
The industry’s waste water also causes great environmental issues and challenges due to the mass of wastewater and sludge that is produced. There are various factors that influence this water usage within the paper and pulp industry, including:
1. The Pulping Process: The type of pulping process used (e.g. chemical pulping, mechanical pulping, or a combination) can impact water consumption.
2. Recycling: Paper mills can use recycled paper fibres, and the recycling process typically requires less water than producing paper from raw materials.
The use of our wastewater systems has been shown to limit water consumption greatly. The adoption of efficient water recycling and treatment is vital to the success and sustainability of a company for many reasons, including:
- reduced water bills
- reduced energy costs
- improvement of public image
- compliance with environmental regulations
- protection of natural resources
for more information on the importance of recycling water, and how it can help your company, please read our article below: