Solid residues generation and management at Canadian pulp and paper mills in 1994 and 1995

Dealing with solid residues is widely considered to be a growing problem for the pulp and paper industry but until recently there were no quantitative data on the amounts of solid residues produced in Canada or the ways in which these residues are managed. Paprican surveyed Canadian mills about generation and disposition of 19 types of solid residues at the end of 1994 and again at the end of 1995. Total solid residues production was 6.4 Mt/a. Of this total, 47% was wood and bark used for fuel, 12% was wood and bark not used as fuel, 23% was sludge, 12% was inorganic, and 6% was in a miscellaneous category. Most woody residues and over 1/3 of the sludges were burned; the unburned residues were mostly landfilled. Land application, composting, and recycling were minor outlets for the residues.