Sludge Watch ==> Durham Ontario - Local Group Supports Paper Recycling Boycott

[maureen.reilly at sympatico.ca]

Sludgewatch Admin:

It makes sense to withold paper from your recycling box where the waste from 
the papermill
that takes it is making an environmental mess.

When paper is recycled - half of it becomes a new piece of paper - and half 
of it becomes waste sludge.  So while recycling mills may be a good way to 
protect old growth forests it creates a huge waste disposal problem.

Right now much of the used waste paper for Atlantic Packaging and Abiltibi 
comes from the US. And Ontario becomes their trash can because of the high 
volume of sludge for disposal.  It sure sounds like the Works Manager needs 
to learn something about paper recycling.  He doesn't know that the recycled 
newspaper and fine paper (and even tetra pacs) are going into Atlantic 
Packaging..and coming out as paper products and contaminated sludge.

Stop the paper going in...stop the sludge coming out.  The municipality who 
collects our paper shouldn't provide it to this misbehaving paper 
corporations.

..................................................................................

Local group hopes paper recycling boycott gets message to Minister
DURHAM -- A local group is hoping a paper recycling boycott spearheaded by a
Niagara organization will get the message to the Environment Minister


http://www.durhamregion.com/dr/waste/story/3583321p-4141300c.html

- 07-07-06


Oshawa This Week


Local group hopes paper recycling boycott gets message to Minister

Jul 7, 2006
By Jennifer Stone

DURHAM -- A local group is hoping a paper recycling boycott spearheaded by a
Niagara organization will get the message to the Environment Minister that
the recommendations of an expert panel on paper sludge need to be
implemented.
"We would hope a boycott would get the Ministry's attention, but we do have
concerns about the boycott, because this is not a recycling issue. It's a
waste management issue," said Deb Vice of Protect the Ridges.

A group based in Pelham in Niagara Region has called on residents there to
withhold their paper recycling boxes next week, to get the message across
about their concerns about paper sludge.

Paper sludge is the residue left over in the paper recycling process. When
mixed with sand, it becomes a product called Sound-Sorb, and is used as
filler in berms on business properties. Mixed with compost, it becomes
Nitro-Sorb, which is spread on farmer's fields as fertilizer.

Groups like Protect the Ridges, and more recently, the Pelham organization,
are concerned about whether there is the potential for long-term effect of
the product on the environment and groundwater as a result of use of the
products.

Protect the Ridges has been asking that the Ministry of Environment
implement the recommendations of an experts panel on Sound-Sorb that
released a report over a year ago calling for, among other things, the
product to be regulated by the Ministry.

Durham Works Commissioner Cliff Curtis said holding back paper recyclables
wouldn't have an impact on the amount of the products produced or used,
since most of what is placed in the blue box isn't ready to become paper
sludge.

"Generally, my understanding is that what ends up at sludge are the short
paper fibres ... Those are not found in newsprint or fine office paper,"
said Mr. Curtis. It's only "once the fibres become too short (that it) can't
be recycled into paper."

As well, some short-fibre paper products, like egg cartons, are compostable
and therefore, belong in the green bin for composting as opposed to the blue
bin, said Mr. Curtis. The Region is "strongly of the opinion that the
Ministry of Environment should be regulating" Nitro-Sorb," he said.

The Environment Ministry is "still reviewing how to best implement the
recommendations," said Lindsay Mack, a spokesperson for Environment Minister
Laurel Broten. But, she stressed, "the experts panel did conclude that
Sound-Sorb should not be banned, and does not pose an immediate human health
risk." Still, the Minister has instructed Ministry staff to "monitor the
situation closely," said Ms. Mack.

Neither the ministry nor the minister have been officially contacted about
the Pelham boycott, but they were aware of it as a result of media reports,
said Ms. Mack, who pointed out that "ceasing putting out newspaper punishes
the municipality, not the province," since the municipality would lose
revenue by not being able to sell the paper products normally collected. Ms.
Vice said she is aware that most of what is used in the paper processing
plants is imported. Still, she said, she's hopeful the boycott will at least
get the attention of the Ministry of Environment. The boycott won't change
anything for Ms. Vice, who has long tried to ensure no products used in her
home wind up at the paper processing plant. "I have never supported (paper
recycling) for that reason. I'm not against recycling -- I think it's a very
good thing," said Ms. Vice, noting the boycott is more a way of getting
attention than avoiding recycling.

"We have tried so many things and there doesn't seem to be anything that
gets the attention of the Minister of the Environment."

It's a matter of getting the products regulated, said Ms. Vice.

"We're dealing with a very profitable industry that is not being held
accountable for its waste," said Ms. Vice.