What Laws Control Pulp Mill Pollution?
The Canadian federal government regulates dioxins and furans, as well as other human health and fisheries-related contaminants, in mill effluent. The province of BC passed its Zero AOX law in 1992, (recinded in 2002) which required the elimination of organochlorines (AOX) by 2002. These laws deal exclusively with liquid waste. Emissions to air and land are dealt with by individual mill permits. There are no legally binding Canadian federal or provincial regulations for air emissions from pulp mills, for indoor air quality (except for Workers’ Compensation Board regulations), or for ambient air quality. Solid waste landfills in BC are permitted by Ministry of Environment regional managers under the Special Waste Regulation of the Waste Management Act. Numerous loopholes and inadequacies exist in this legislation. Compliance to all laws and regulations is largely reliant on self-reporting by the mills. Enforcement, particularly in recent years, appears to be negligible. The Agreement on
