MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
“No adverse effects” from Uruguay's Botnia pulp mill says Argentina's Academy of Engineering
Botnia-Orion will be launch in October/November A document from Argentina's National Academy of Engineering on the installation of cellulose pulp mills on the coast of the river Uruguay and which has become a contentious environmental issue between the neighboring countries, states that “no adverse effects are to be expected on health or biodiversity, and no pollution shall affect Argentine coasts or territory”.
However the Argentine Engineering Academy does suggest that "it is essential to monitor and control that design conditions are strictly complied with during the mills' operation". The document together with a letter requesting Argentine president Nestor Kirchner an interview to inform him personally of the findings was addressed June 2006. However the objectivity of the scientific report and its conclusions are a positive contribution to help solve the dispute. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERINGMember Academy of CAETS â€" International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, Inc. Document of the National Academy of Engineering on the installation of cellulose pulp mills on the Uruguay RiverThe National Academy of Engineering has analyzed the technical documentation produced by consultants and independent international experts on the two cellulose pulp mills that are being built on the margin of the Uruguay River . Additionally, national experts were consulted, thus forming the opinion of the academicians. The Academy focused on the environmental impact of both ventures operating simultaneously. The conclusions that were arrived at have sufficient technical support, though complementary information should be provided to refine certain aspects which may have some significance, but not sufficient relevance to reject the ventures outright due to eventual polluting effects. The final product of the mills is bleached cellulose pulp. Neither of the mills is intended for the production of paper. Their location was selected in view of the low cost of obtaining raw material (eucalyptus wood), of the existing transport facilities for the export of the product and the nearness of residential facilities for personnel. The chosen sites respond efficiently to these objectives. Nevertheless, without detriment to the advantage of having a navigable river close at hand, a location further down the river across more sparsely inhabited areas of the Argentine coast would have generated less fear and reactions, unjustified as they may be. Both mills will use kraft pulping technology, characterized by the recovery of the chemical products of the residual liquor and its reconstitution to be reutilized in the process. This technology uses energy efficiently, and the energy obtainable from dissolved organic matter is recovered. Pulp bleaching will be carried out by means of a ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) method, which uses chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide, a method which is prevalent in the most recently installed pulp mills in the world. The alternative technology of TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) which uses only oxygen (hydrogen peroxide or ozone) and no elemental chlorine or chlorine dioxide was rejected due to the cost of the process, the lower quality and whiteness of the resulting pulp and its almost nil advantages from an environmental point of view. We consider that the choice of bleaching process is justified. The mills were designed under IPPC-BAT (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control â€" Best Available Techniques in the Pulp and Paper Industry) standards, issued by the European Union in 2001 and which shall be fully in force by October 2007. Whereas this would comply with environmental requirements, the Academy endorses expert L. Wayne Dwernychuk's suggestion of considering the application of more recent technological advances to partially replace chlorine dioxide with ozone or hydrogen peroxide, in order to decrease the volume of effluents and improving their quality. The two projects contemplate systems for the treatment of air, solid waste, and effluent emissions. The independent specialized firm Malcolm Pirie Inc. carried out an impact evaluation study on air quality and odors. By means of dispersion models for the joint operation of both plants, it calculated the effect of the emission of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, particulated matter and total reduced sulfur. This study shows quantitatively that during the operation of the mills as they are designed, the emissions and impacts on several points of the Uruguayan and Argentine environments comply satisfactorily with the levels established by international standards on atmospheric pollution. Nevertheless, the potential for odors, mainly by methyl mercaptane and dimethyl disulfur shall be detectable during the start-up of the plants and for short periods if non-programmed stops in production occur. This may happen only a few times per year. Modelisation resulted in the estimate that these odors will not travel beyond a distance of 2 km downwind, therefore the Argentine coast would not be reached, but rather the immediate Uruguayan surroundings and the international bridge. The mills were designed in such a way that liquid effluents reaching the discharge point have received a complete secondary treatment, which reduces suspended solids and biodegradable organic components in compliance with international standards. The dilution rates were estimated for worst-case scenarios, for extremely low levels of water in the Uruguay River (500m3/sec versus a mean module of 4,000 m3/sec). Under these conditions the discharge flows of both plants blend, but they run off on the Uruguayan margin of the river and do not reach the Argentine coast. If the mills operate as per design, in no case do the polluting elements have effects on the biodiversity of the river or its coasts. There could be a color impact, which is only visual and would occur close to the discharge point, which can in any case be mitigated with an incidence on the cost of the pulp of 1%. It is considered convenient to mitigate this impact as well. Generation of solid waste shall reach a rate of 90,000 tons per annum. With the exception of 250 tons of dangerous waste, the rest shall be sediment, ash, gravel and lime mud to be used in sanitary refill, at no risk to the environment. Special facilities were designed to dispose of hazardous solid waste. Therefore there should not be any pollution from this kind of waste. Review of the studies by independent firms CPI and Malcolm Pirie Inc by expert Dwernychuk, resulted in his suggestion to broaden the scope of certain aspects thereof, without questioning the studies' conclusions. For example, the existence of other polluting factors that are already present in the area should be taken into account. More detailed information was requested on certain technical issues. These observations should be solved by the companies operating the pulp mills. According to the experts, they are feasible and the recommended improvements should be implemented by acting during the construction stage and without stopping the execution of the projects, as is usual in engineering works of this nature. The visual impact of the mills will affect the immediate surroundings in Uruguayan territory, including the entrance to the country via the international bridge and the Argentine island Sauzal. The mill that is closest to Argentine territory (Botnia) is 11 km away in a straight from Ñandubaysal beach and 27 km from Gualeguaychu. Therefore, the mill shall only be visible from these areas in the distance, which cannot be considered as visual pollution from the Argentine side of the river. In conclusion, the environmental parameters that will result from the pulp mills' operation are within the strict limits of the applicable international standards. In accordance, no adverse effects are to be expected on health or biodiversity, and no pollution shall affect Argentine coasts or territory. Nevertheless, the National Academy of Engineering states it is essential to monitor and control that design conditions are strictly complied with during the mills' operation. It must be taken into account that it is not sufficient that the mills were designed and are built to comply with all existing standards on pollution, as during the operations stage situations may arise in which pressure to reduce costs could lead the companies to non-compliance with certain requirements which were accepted a priori. Therefore it is a classic case requiring government regulation and control. Considering that it is a shared water resource, and that its use is subject to treaties between Argentina and the Republic of Uruguay , this task should be the responsibility of and jointly addressed by the governments of both countries. Arturo J. Bignoli, President Ricardo Schwarz, Academician-Secretary
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