Chlorine and the Paper Industry

[Alliance for Environmental Technology]

This week, the Alliance for Environmental Technology (AET) 
released its fourth annual market study entitled "Trends in 
World Bleached Chemical Pulp Production: 1990 -1997."  The 
report highlights chemical pulp bleaching trends and is 
available at http://aet.org or by calling (800) 999-PULP.

The 1997 report shows that ECF (Elemental Chlorine-Free) pulp, 
based on chlorine dioxide, continues to dominate bleached 
chemical pulp (BCP) markets worldwide.  ECF pulp production in 
the United States has increased by more than 2,000 percent since 
1990, while TCF production remiains negligible at less than one 
percent.  In 1997, ECF will command the highest worldwide market 
share at 50%, totaling 38 million tonnes. 

Since the industry began its conversion toward ECF bleaching in the late
1980s, dioxin emissions have been reduced by more than 98 percent. As a
result, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data show that since
1990, 13 states have lifted a total of 17 fish consumption advisories
for dioxin downstream of U.S. pulp mills. 

In July of 1996, the U.S. EPA issued its "Notice of Availability" for
the Agency's proposed Cluster Rule for the pulp and paper industry. In
the "Notice," EPA proposed two options for Best Available Technology,
both based on ECF (100 percent substitution of chlorine dioxide for
chlorine).

For a copy of the report and its press release, visit http://aet.org.