Management of Effluent from Paper and Pulp Industries

The pulp and paper industry uses large amounts of water and subsequently has to treat significant volumes of wastewater. Therefore effective water management can have a direct effect on the plant’s production, performance and environmental impact. With water used in nearly every step of the manufacturing processes, paper and pulp mills produce large volumes of wastewater presenting a number of issues related to wastewater treatment and discharge levels. Advanced treatment technologies, including innovative strategies geared towards water reuse and resource recovery, present viable solutions for paper and pulp manufacturers in terms of wastewater treatment. Contaminants inherent to pulp and paper waste streams include chlorinated organic compounds, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) contaminants. Process water results in relatively large quantities of contaminated water and necessitates the use of onsite wastewater treatment solutions. Treatment options include primary treatment such as clarification to remove solids and particulate matter and the work presented discusses this technique to reduce environmental issues.