Are paper mill effluents dangerous?
Pulp and paper mills effluents may cause various harmful effects in a water system – i.e. eutrophication, oxygen depletion, milkiness – but in general they are not considered to be dangerous or toxic to human beings or mammals. Some studies have shown that pulp mill effluents may have harmful effects on the reproduction of fish, while other similar studies have reported no significant effects. Most of the pollutants in pulp and paper mill effluents originate from the natural wood raw material (fiber) used at the mills. Chemicals used in the manufacturing process either stay in the products, are reused or degraded at the mill, or are partially removed in the effluent treatment process.
