Code of practice for the management of air emissions from pulp and paper facilities

Code of practice [PDF - 333 KB]

Abstract
Definitions
List of abbreviations

Introduction
- 1.1 Background
- 1.2 Description of the pulp and paper sector
- 1.3 Code of practice objectives
Stationary sources of emission
Recommended environmental protection practices
- 3.1 General practices
- 3.2 Chemical facility
  - 3.2.1 HVLC and LVHC non-condensable gases
  - 3.2.2 Wood handling and preparation
  - 3.2.3 Pulping and delignification
  - 3.2.4 Screening and washing of unbleached pulp
  - 3.2.5 Bleaching
  - 3.2.6 Drying
  - 3.2.7 Concentration of spent pulping liquor
  - 3.2.8 Recovery boilers
  - 3.2.9 Smelt dissolving tank
  - 3.2.10 Lime kiln
  - 3.2.11 Preparation of chemicals
  - 3.2.12 Boilers
- 3.3 Mechanical facility
  - 3.3.1 Chip handling and preparation
  - 3.3.2 Heating wood chips
  - 3.3.3 Impregnation
  - 3.3.4 Separation of fibres
  - 3.3.5 Screening and cleaning
  - 3.3.6 Thickening
  - 3.3.7 Bleaching
  - 3.3.8 Boiler
Annual air emission limits
Meeting the limits
- 5.1 Operator delaration
- 5.2 Characterization of air emissions
- 5.3 Compliance emission assessment
  - 5.3.1 Initial emission assessment report
  - 5.3.2 Follow-up emission assessment report
  - 5.3.3 Emission assessment report procedure
- 5.4 Emission assessment report
- 5.5 Record keeping
References

Environment and Climate Change Canada

July 2018

Cat. No.: 978-0-660-26598-8
ISBN: En14-323/2018E-PDF

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© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 2017

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Abstract

The code of practice for the management of air emissions from pulp and paper facilities outlines the operational activities for this industry and the environmental concerns related to the atmospheric emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and total particulate matter (TPM). Emission limits and recommended practices that can address these concerns are also described.

Some, or all, of the provisions of the code of practice may be implemented voluntarily by the industry, or adopted as requirements by financial institutions or regulatory agencies; however, they do not negate any applicable regulatory requirements.

Definitions

Boiler

An enclosed device which uses controlled flame combustion and is designed to transfer thermal energy from the combustion of a fuel indirectly to a fluid (such as water or oil.)

Chemical facility

Any pulp and paper facility that is designed to operate a recovery boiler, a lime kiln or a pulping digester.

Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS)

Equipment for automated sampling, conditioning or analyzing of emissions from a given source and the recording of data related to those emissions.

Digester

A pressure vessel used to chemically treat chips and other cellulosic fibrous materials under elevated temperature and pressure in order to separate fibres from each other and produce pulp.

Dissolving tank

Equipment that collects molten smelt from the recovery boiler’s furnace hearth and dilutes it, usually with water or weak wash from the washing of lime mud and green liquor dregs.

High-volume, low-concentration (HVLC) non-condensable gases

Gases with low total reduced sulphur (TRS) content. HVLC non-condensable gases typically come from washers, filtrate tanks, knotters, screens, deckers, oxygen delignification systems, weak liquor storage tanks, and intermediate pulp storage chests. Also known as diluted non-condensable odorous gases (DNCGs).

Lime kiln

Equipment used to calcine lime mud, which contains calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and water, in order to form lime (CaO) and CO₂.

Low-volume, high concentration (LVHC) non-condensable gases

Gases with high total reduced sulphur (TRS) content. LVHC non-condensable gases typically come from blow heat recovery systems, turpentine recovery systems, digester areas, evaporators, and steam strippers. Also known as concentrated non-condensable gases (CNCGs).

Mechanical facility

Any pulp and paper facility that is not a chemical facility.

Operator

The operator of a pulp and paper facility is an authorized official who:

in respect of a corporation, is an officer of the corporation who is authorized to act on its behalf;
in respect of any other person, is that person or a person authorized to act on behalf of that person; and
in respect of any other entity, is a person authorized to act on its behalf.

Other stationary combustion source

Any stationary combustion equipment with a nominal heat capacity greater than 10.5 gigajoules per hour (GJ/h) that was operated more than 500 hours in the year of declaration.

Pulp and paper facility

“Pulp and paper facility” means a facility that is designed or used to produce

(a) pulp products from wood, other plant material or recycled paper products; and
(b) any other product obtained from a pulping process or directly derived from pulp.

Recovery boiler

Equipment that burns spent pulping liquor to allow for the recovery of cooking chemicals.

Stripper off-gases (SOGs)

gases leaving a steam or air stripper column that treats foul condensates.

Thermal oxidizer

Device used to destroy liquid, solid or gaseous matter through combustion, without recovering the energy produced.

Total particulate matter (TPM)

Airborne particulate matter with an upper size limit of approximately 100 micrometres (µm) in aerodynamic equivalent diameter. Only the filterable portion is considered in this code of practice.

List of abbreviations

AQMS: Air Quality Management System
BLIERs: Base Level Industrial Emission Requirements
Ca: calcium
CaCO₃: calcium carbonate
CaO: calcium oxide, lime
CCME: Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
CEMS: continuous emissions monitoring system
CMP: chemi-mechanical pulping
CNCGs: concentrated non-condensable gases
CO: carbon monoxide
CO₂: carbon dioxide
DNCGs: diluted non-condensable gases
GJ: gigajoules
GJ/h: gigajoules per hour
H₂SO₃: sulphurous acid
HVLC: High-volume, low-concentration non-condensable gases
ISO 14000: International Organization for Standardization, environmental management
LVHC: Low-volume, High-concentration non-condensable gases
Mg: magnesium
Na: sodium
Na₂CO₃: sodium carbonate
Na₂S: odium sulphide
Na₂SO₃: sodium sulphite
NaOH: sodium hydroxide
NCGs: non-condensable gases
NH₄: ammonium
NO_x: nitrogen oxide
PGW: pressure groundwood pulping
PRMP: pressure refiner mechanical pulping
RMP: refiner mechanical pulping
SGW: stone groundwood pulping
SO₂: sulphur dioxide
SOGs: stripper off-gases
TMP: thermo-mechanical pulping
TPM: total particulate matter
TRS: total reduced sulphur
VOCs: volatile organic compounds

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Date modified:: 2018-07-24

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