Report: Wastewater Treatment in Pulp and Paper Industry a Game Changer

It’s been speculated that more than half the volume of all U.S. water pollution comes from industrial processes. Responsible for the lion’s share of industrial pollution are water-intensive industries like pulp and paper manufacturers. Creating pulp from wood chips, washing and bleaching pulp, and generating steam to dry finished paper—indeed, nearly every process in the pulp and paper industry requires a large amount of water. As you’ll see, Advanced Waste and Water Technology, Inc. is playing a key role in helping pulp and paper companies meet environmental regulations.
 
Report Findings
 
New reports from the World Wildlife Fund and the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization have enumerated the pulp and paper industry’s environmental impacts, highlighted areas of improvement, and identified new strategies that reduce the amount of solid waste left behind after treatment.
 
Environmental Impact Explained
 
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FOA) estimates that each pulp and paper mill produces an average of 200 cubic meters of wastewater discharge per ton of pulp and paper. Around 85% of water is used for processing alone, and this creates large volumes of wastewater. There are three different kinds of pulping used in the industry: mechanical, groundwood, and chemical (kraft). Kraft pulp mills generally use the largest amount of water and produce the most wastewater. These are the environmental realities of the pulp and paper industry, but wastewater treatment technologies creating huge changes.
 
Improvements Made
 
According to the 2015 Environmental Paper Company Index, a report conducted by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the pulp and paper industry has the potential to contribute to a greener economy. The report shows that significant improvements were made in the pulp and paper industry between 2013 and 2015—in logging practices, air pollution, as well as wastewater treatment.
 
Key Innovations from AWWT
 
AWWT is on the forefront of technological innovation. Our technologies treat incoming raw water, manage water circulation, and increase the amount of treated wastewater that’s recycled back in to the manufacturing process. For more information on pulp and paper industry wastewater treatment from AWWT, please visit our homepage or contact us today for a free assessment.