Cleaner St. Johns River HVE Op Ed

HVE Op Ed

Data May Help Create a Cleaner St. Johns

Georgia-Pacific is committed to meeting clean water standards and protecting the quality of Rice Creek and the St. Johns River basin. The just-released, high volume extraction (HVE) data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides the company with another reference point to consider as we continue to significantly improve our effluent quality and join with others to create a cleaner St. Johns.

The high volume extraction technique conducted at Georgia-Pacific's Palatka Operations is a fairly new sampling technique that has not been widely used and is not the standard Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved method required for testing for dioxin in waste streams. Georgia-Pacific does utilize EPA's approved methodology, which is specified in our NPDES permit, for sampling for dioxin in our waste streams. Those results have consistently reported non-detect since the startup of our elemental chlorine free bleaching system in 2001.

Although naturally occurring, dioxin is a concern because of its potential to increase the risk of cancer in people who eat fish contaminated with the pollutant. However, Rice Creek fish studies show that dioxin concentrations are well below any consumption advisory level limits in the U.S. In addition, dioxin in fish from Rice Creek continues to decrease - a trend we expect to continue. And fish samples from Rice Creek show similar dioxin levels to samples in other locations along the St. Johns - well away from any potential influence by Georgia-Pacific's effluent.

According to the EPA, contributors to dioxin in bodies of water, including Georgia-Pacific effluent, could be the result of other combustion sources such as incinerators, backyard burning and forest fires. The transport of the ash byproduct through the air to the water and incorporation into the food web may be a significant way that fish are currently exposed to dioxin in Rice Creek and the St. Johns River.

Ten years ago, working cooperatively with the state DEP, the U.S. EPA and other community interest groups, Georgia-Pacific pledged to invest $200 million in environmentally beneficial manufacturing process upgrades to improve effluent water quality. Since that time, the company has implemented the best available pulp washing and bleaching technology in good faith to improve the environment while also meeting the desires of state and federal officials. Many of the modifications undertaken by Georgia-Pacific were above and beyond those required to meet existing effluent standards for pulp and bleaching systems according to the EPA's Cluster Rule and have reduced pollutants by 30 - 80 percent.

Now we have these new findings from HVE. This is only the second time to our knowledge the EPA field lab has utilized HVE to sample paper mill effluent in Florida and there could be issues concerning some aspects of the methodology. In addition, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions from just two samples taken on a single day; however, Georgia-Pacific is committed to meeting clean water standards and protecting the quality of Rice Creek and creating a cleaner St. Johns River basin. We therefore look forward to continuing to work with the Florida DEP and other interested members of the community on that objective. For more information on Georgia-Pacific's efforts, please visit www.CleanerStJohns.com.

Gary Frost
Georgia-Pacific Palatka Operations
Vice President


GP's Commitment Latest News Georgia-Pacific Cover Letter to FDEP July 15, 2010, Report Letter to Mill Employees Improvements by the Numbers Frequently Asked Questions Wastewater Treatment Process Technical Memorandum Rice Creek Field Guide Resources Fact Sheets Powerpoint Presentation White Paper Florida Department of Environmental Protection Advertising Outdoor Print Radio Contact Us	HVE Op Ed Data May Help Create a Cleaner St. Johns Georgia-Pacific is committed to meeting clean water standards and protecting the quality of Rice Creek and the St. Johns River basin. The just-released, high volume extraction (HVE) data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides the company with another reference point to consider as we continue to significantly improve our effluent quality and join with others to create a cleaner St. Johns. The high volume extraction technique conducted at Georgia-Pacific's Palatka Operations is a fairly new sampling technique that has not been widely used and is not the standard Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved method required for testing for dioxin in waste streams. Georgia-Pacific does utilize EPA's approved methodology, which is specified in our NPDES permit, for sampling for dioxin in our waste streams. Those results have consistently reported non-detect since the startup of our elemental chlorine free bleaching system in 2001. Although naturally occurring, dioxin is a concern because of its potential to increase the risk of cancer in people who eat fish contaminated with the pollutant. However, Rice Creek fish studies show that dioxin concentrations are well below any consumption advisory level limits in the U.S. In addition, dioxin in fish from Rice Creek continues to decrease - a trend we expect to continue. And fish samples from Rice Creek show similar dioxin levels to samples in other locations along the St. Johns - well away from any potential influence by Georgia-Pacific's effluent. According to the EPA, contributors to dioxin in bodies of water, including Georgia-Pacific effluent, could be the result of other combustion sources such as incinerators, backyard burning and forest fires. The transport of the ash byproduct through the air to the water and incorporation into the food web may be a significant way that fish are currently exposed to dioxin in Rice Creek and the St. Johns River. Ten years ago, working cooperatively with the state DEP, the U.S. EPA and other community interest groups, Georgia-Pacific pledged to invest $200 million in environmentally beneficial manufacturing process upgrades to improve effluent water quality. Since that time, the company has implemented the best available pulp washing and bleaching technology in good faith to improve the environment while also meeting the desires of state and federal officials. Many of the modifications undertaken by Georgia-Pacific were above and beyond those required to meet existing effluent standards for pulp and bleaching systems according to the EPA's Cluster Rule and have reduced pollutants by 30 - 80 percent. Now we have these new findings from HVE. This is only the second time to our knowledge the EPA field lab has utilized HVE to sample paper mill effluent in Florida and there could be issues concerning some aspects of the methodology. In addition, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions from just two samples taken on a single day; however, Georgia-Pacific is committed to meeting clean water standards and protecting the quality of Rice Creek and creating a cleaner St. Johns River basin. We therefore look forward to continuing to work with the Florida DEP and other interested members of the community on that objective. For more information on Georgia-Pacific's efforts, please visit www.CleanerStJohns.com. Gary Frost Georgia-Pacific Palatka Operations Vice President
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