Since 1990, the pulp and paper industry has invested significantly in environmental protection, and it continues to do so. Papier Masson, in order to reach its current level of environmental performance, invested tens of millions of dollars to modernize its facilities. This modernization program allowed the company to remain competitive in the marketplace, and it ensured that requirements for environmental protection would be met and even surpassed.

In 1995, we spent around $35 million on the construction of a secondary wastewater treatment plant. In 1999–2000, the mill upgraded its facilities at a cost of $158 million, installing a new thermo-mechanical pulping system (TMP) to replace the older equipment. Each year, Papier Masson invests more than $4 million in modernization and optimisation projects; and each of these projects involves a careful impact study so that the best plans may be chosen. Overall, the changes to our facilities and practices have registered very positive and quantifiable reductions in our environmental impact. Water consumption and effluent levels have been reduced by a drastic amount despite a 27% increase in paper production at the mill compared with 1992 levels.

Since 1992, our water consumption per tonne of paper has fallen by 29% (Figure 1). Thanks to the construction of the secondary wastewater treatment plant in 1995, we achieved a 78% reduction in the emission of suspended solids (SS)¹ (Figure 2), and a 98% reduction in the emission of dissolved organic matter (BDO₅)² (Figure 3). We also eliminated toxicity³ in the water directed back into the river.

Residues management description

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3