Environmental Impacts

Environmental Impacts
We endeavour to go beyond strict compliance with all environmental regulations pertaining to our operations. Regular environmental audits are conducted to verify compliance, environmental management systems and processes, as well as to identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Key environmental data is reported regularly to relevant governmental authorities and other stakeholders.

Water
Water is used in various processes within our mills. Effluent is treated as appropriate and discharged. All of our pulp and paper mills are currently recording biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS) and adsorbable organic halides (AOX) levels well below allowable limits.

Air
Nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions are within prescribed limits at all of our pulp and paper mills.
Emissions of particulate matter (PM) from our combustion sources are also within prescribed limits. In fact, seven (7) of the eight (8) combustion sources at our U.S. pulp and paper operations that are subject to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Industrial/Commercial/Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters (better known as Boiler MACT) are already in compliance with this Rule, which comes into effect on September 13, 2007. The installation of pollution abatement equipment on the affected boiler will result in a 30% reduction in PM emissions for the remaining facility.

Waste
We have reduced the volume of waste going to landfill by approximately 15% at our pulp and paper mills since 2002 by maximizing the use of raw materials, increasing recycling, reusing previously wasted material as by-products, and through equipment improvements at many of our locations.