Chlorine compounds are rated among the most hazardous industrial chemicals in large volume use, affecting both human health and the environment. By themselves, they have been classified as suspected toxicants to the respiratory and reproductive systems as well as to developmental processes. Their use in the pulp bleaching process also results in the creation of harmful byproducts called “organochlorines,” which include dioxins and dioxin-like compounds. These substances are known to cause cancer and are suspected of causing developmental, reproductive, and immune system damage.
Although industry has reduced its organochlorine discharges because of strengthened government standards, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) figures indicate that the pulp and paper industry ranks in the top three or four among U.S. manufacturing industries in the release of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds. If the industry completely replaced chlorine compounds with safer oxygen-based bleaching, then there would be no organochlorine byproducts, and wastewater from the bleaching process could be almost completely recovered and reused.
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