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Northern Pulp moves forward with efforts to revamp Pictou mill

Abercrombie, Nova Scotia - Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation is moving forward developing a registration document to initiate a Class II environmental assessment for its proposed $350 million transformation of the nowshuttered Pictou County mill.

The mill was closed when it failed to meet environmental standards last year. It is a highquality northern bleached softwood kraft pulp producer with product used in the manufacturing of a variety of products ranging from tissue and paper towels to food additives and packaging.

In July, Keith Irving, Nova Scotia’s minister of environment and climate change, said an assessment would be required for the proposed mill rejuvenation project. The mill’s parent company Paper Excellence, management claims, will implement strict environmental air, odor, and water standards.

A significant part of Northern Pulp’s community engagement over the past year has been through the formation of and engagement with an independent, volunteer environmental liaison committee, which produced a report outlining the issues and concerns that need to be addressed if the mill is to reopen.

Paper Excellence is proposing to transform the mill into a best-in-class operation and one of the world’s cleanest, most environmentally driven and community-based mills.

Key elements of the mill transformation include: a public dashboard on the Northern Pulp website to display live environmental data, such as ambient monitors, mill recorded environmental data, water use, etc.; oxygen delignification to reduce bleaching chemical use; best new primary and secondary treatment systems to remove solids, organics, and colour; installation of a new tertiary effluent treatment system, consisting of rotating disc filters, to ensure the highest quality water release and colour removal, and the continuously operating tertiary treatment will be the second of its kind in Canada.

As well, the transformation will include converting the recovery boiler to a low-odor configuration, a new wet electrostatic precipitator to remove fine particles from being released into the air; implementing the Lahey Report recommendations on Northern Pulp private lands and crown allocation and launching a new information and engagement website, www.TomorrowsMill.ca, for community members to learn more and provide input on the proposed transformation plan.

www.paperexcellence.ca

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