Requirements for the Treatment of Effluents from Chemical Pulp Mills in the F.R.G.

In 1986, the 11 chemical pulp mills in the F.R.G. produced 350,00 t of bleached sulfite pulp. With the enactment of the so-called minimum requirements in 1982, general standards for the treatment of effluents were promulgated for this branch of industry. They comprise various measures, such as high-grade recovery of spent liquor including its evaporation and incineration, partial or total reuse of condensates from evaporation or reduction of their load by stripping, and mechanical treatment of total waste water. In view of the persisting high pollution levels of German rivers caused by pulp mills, more stringent standards reflecting the present state of the art will be implemented in 1991. This paper deals with these standards, covering the applicable in-plant and external abatement measures, such as extended cooking, substitution of elemental chlorine and biological treatment for decisive improvement of the chemical pulp mill effluent situation.