Wisconsin Tissue Mills
Paper-recycling Facility Plans use of Sodium Hypochlorite
UPDATE: Georgia
Pacific Corporation and the parent company of
Wisconsin Tissue Chesapeake Corporation announced
June 26, 1999 their intention to combine their
tissue supply business. Georgia-Pacific Group
will control and manage the partnership and is
expected to own approximately 90 percent of the
equity of the partnership. Chesapeake will
contribute the assets of its Wisconsin Tissue
business to the partnership, for which it will
receive a 10 percent interest in the partnership
and an initial cash distribution of approximately
$730 million. As a result the Wisconsin Tissue
Plant project in Halifax County, NC has been put
on hold. At the end of May, Wisconsin Tissue had
announced their intention not to use chlorine
based chemicals at the Halifax facility. On June
28, Wisconsin Tissue withdrew the permit
applications and EIS currently under review by NC
DENR.
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Wisconsin Tissue Mills plans to locate a
paper-recycling facility on the Roanoke River in
Halifax County, NC. They are planning to use
sodium hypochlorite, a chlorine derivative for
bleaching. Chlorine bleaching causes the
formation of dioxins and furans which are
endocrine disruptors and carcinogens. Dioxins and
furans have been shown to have detrimental effect
on fish and wildlife world-wide. There are viable
alternatives that are more costly at the outset,
but that would require less water useage, be
safer for workers and the environment.
In addition, their process will require deinking
which will result in heavy metal contamination to
the sludge by-product as well as dioxins.
Chloroform, a known carcinogen and ozone depleter
will be emitted in large amounts. The USEPA is in
the process of developing new rules which
will restrict or eliminate sodium hypochlorite
use at all mills. Phase l (virgin pulp mills) was
promulgated in April of 1998. Phases ll
(secondary fiber deinking mills, such as
Wisconsin Tissue) and Phase lll (dissolving
mills) are in process, with the emphasis on Phase
lll. Wisconsin Tissue is attempting to slip in
under old rules, which are not protective of
public health and the environment.
The Roanoke River may well be one of the most
important spawning areas in North Carolina,
particularly in the area of the proposed mill.
The striped bass or rockfish has been restored to
health only by many millions of taxpayer dollars
and limits on commercial and recreational
fisherman. There are also many subsistence
fishermen (and women) along the Roanoke.
The effects of a damaged fishery in the Roanoke
will be felt throughout the region, as commercial
and recreational fisherman are vital to local
economies.
NC ACT, a local organization which opposes
Wisconsin Tissue's plan to use a chlorine
derivative, has numerous concerns relative to
this siting and has asked that the company be
required to perform an Environmental Impact Study
(EIS), and a Health Risk Assessment (HRA)
considering the cumulative impacts of
persistent organochlorines on public health and
the environment.
Please contact Wisconsin
Tissue and demand that they use a chlorine free
process and willingly perform an EIS and and HRA.
E-mail Jeff
Johnson at Wisconsin Tissue Mills
Please call Governor Hunt
and ask that he require Wisconsin Tissue to
perform an EIS and to process their fiber
chlorine free. Remind him that it's a "Smart
Start" for North Carolina.
Call Governor Hunt at: 1-800-662-7952
For more information contact: BREDL's Therese Vick
(252) 539-2728
Also please see NC ACT May
21, 1999 Press Release: State and Federal
Agencies Criticize Wisconsin Tissue Environmental
Assessment
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