Best available techniques (BAT) in the Finnish pulp and paper industry - a critical review

Abstract

In this multiple‐case study the BAT‐associated techniques and relative emission levels presented in the EU's best available techniques (BAT) reference document for the pulp and paper industry (PP‐BREF) are compared with the techniques applied and the relative emission levels achieved in the Finnish pulp and paper industry. Information on the emissions of 24 Finnish pulp and paper plants was compiled from the national databases maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute. Moreover, a supportive study was conducted on the use of the PP‐BREF in the environmental permitting process. The techniques applied in the studied plants represented the BAT as defined in the PP‐BREF to a high degree, but the emission levels showed a larger variation. Possible reasons for this variation were discussed. A BAT emission index (BEI) was designed to trace the degree to which the BAT‐associated emission levels were achieved as a whole. The BEI appeared to be a useful indicator for assessing the BAT‐related environmental performance of the plants. An important area for improvement, identified from the point of view of the applicability of the PP‐BREF in the permit process, was the information on waste management issues. Moreover, a consistent cross‐media assessment in the PP‐BREF was called for. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

“Control-Alt-Delete”: Rebooting Solutions for the E-Waste Problem

“…Environmental protection policies based on "Best Available Technology" (BAT) have become prominent and aim to minimize environmental impacts using existing technology and minimizing costs with recognition that risks may remain. 125 …”

Implications of regulation based on the IPPC directive – A review on the Finnish pulp and paper industry

“…The preparation and dissemination of the BREFs is a large scale information exchange exercise between the industry, member state authorities, EU Commission and NGOs in Europe -even with wider implications outside Europe -coordinated by the IPPC Bureau in Seville, Spain. Notwithstanding the structural and substance related shortcomings the existing BREFs incorporate [5], the information exchange seems to improve the knowledge base of the permit and supervisory authorities in particular. Information exchange and networking between the industry and other sector related public and private organisations was found to be important in bringing about new process innovations in the Nordic pulp and paper industry [6].…”

“…The percentage of mills conforming to the BAT associated emission levels in 2006 was lowest for TSS (73%) and ranged between 82% and 100% for the other parameters. Over 90% conformity with the BAT associated emission levels was noted for BOD 7 Table 3 shows the percentage of adopted BAT techniques, the percentage of emission parameters within the BAT associated emission levels and the values of the arithmetic mean of the BAT Emission Indices [5] of the studied mills in each production category in 2001, 2004 and 2006. For each mill, the BAT Emission Index (BEI) was calculated as the arithmetic mean of the annual specific emissions (emission per ton of product) of the mill divided by the upper limit of the BAT emission range for each PP-BREF parameter (Eq.…”

Strategies and Practices for Sustainable Use of Water in Industrial Papermaking Processes

“…These wastes are generated in all stages of the manufacturing process, i.e., wood processing, pulping, pulp washing and screening, recovery of chemicals, paper manufacturing. Therefore the Romanian paper industry has to solve many problems regarding environmental protection by enhancing the performance in view of water and energy consumption and in wastewater processing and management [39,57,[66][67]. The quantity of solid waste generated by the pulp and paper mill closes to 400 kg/t paper.…”