paper industry Archives

Apr 25, 2022

Timber and Paper Industry Petition EPA to Ease Restrictions on Burning Paper Residuals

In December, 2021, representatives of the timber and paper industry petitioned the EPA to ease restrictions on the burning of railroad ties and paper residuals as fuel without triggering strict hazardous waste combustion emission requirements. The EPA previously denied the coalition’s petition to revise the Nonhazardous Secondary Material criteria for treated railroad ties and certain paper residuals. As outlined in its March 29 request for reconsideration, the issue is whether the railroad ties and paper residuals can be burned as “fuel” in boilers and avoid tougher emissions limits designated for incinerators. When a material is designated as fuel under the… Read more

Aug 20, 2012

EPA to Drop Stricter Controls in Final Paper Air Rule

In a major win for paper companies, the EPA has dropped proposed tightening of emission controls for kraft pulp mills in its new, revised air toxic rule. The EPA had originally proposed to make an “incremental” tightening of its emission standards for condensates produced during the kraft pulping process. Industry representatives successfully argued that the technology used to control these emissions hasn’t changed since the promulgation of the original emission standards for hazardous air pollutants, such as methanol and formaldehyde, which are byproducts of the paper mill process. For more information, contact Phillip Hoover.