Industrial Environmental Performance Metrics is a corporate-focused analysis that brings clarity and practicality to the complex issues of environmental metrics in industry. The book examines the metrics implications to businesses as their responsibilities expand beyond the factory gateâ€"upstream to suppliers and downstream to products and services. It examines implications that arise from greater demand for comparability of metrics among businesses by the investment community and environmental interest groups. The controversy over what sustainable development means for businesses is also addressed. Industrial Environmental Performance Metrics identifies the most useful metrics based on case studies from four industriesâ€"automotive, chemical, electronics, and pulp and paperâ€"and includes specific corporate examples. It contains goals and recommendations for public and private sector players interested in encouraging the broader use of metrics to improve industrial environmental performance and those interested in addressing the tough issues of prioritization, weighting of metrics for meaningful comparability, and the longer term metrics needs presented by sustainable development.

The problems recyclers face with wastepaper are connected to the issues addressed by forest advocates, as well as to the difficulties confronted by those involved with industrial pollution from the paper industry. In this richly detailed study, Maureen Smith shows how industrial and environmental analysis can be synthesized to clarify these complex problems and produce solutions. Smith outlines the basic structural characteristics of the U.S. pulp and paper industry and its relationship to the larger forest products sector, as well as its patterns of domestic and global fiber resource use. She then reviews the core technologies employed in virgin pulp production, with an emphasis on their environmental impacts, the role of technological innovation, and the relationships between fiber choices and pollution prevention. Building on this base she reveals structural barriers within the industry that have impeded positive change and shows how these barriers are reinforced by the traditional isolation of environmental policy domains.The study includes a comparative analysis of how organochlorine pollution from pulp mills has been addressed in the United States, Europe, and Canada (and why the United States has seen the slowest rate of progress); an assessment of commodity trade patterns in the industry and how they are linked to resource demand; an examination of the momentum building around annual plant fiber use and the diverse interests it reflects; and a review of recent developments in paper recycling within the context of historical trends in fiber utilization. A case study of the controversial environmental review process of the largest recycled pulp and paper mill ever proposed ties together earlier elements of the book and forms the basis for the conclusions. In closing, Smith argues convincingly against narrowly focused attempts to "fix" the problems associated with the industry, and offers practical guidance on new frameworks and approaches for industrial restructuring. She highlights the need for regional perspectives that integrate environmental, social, and economic objectives. Urban and Industrial Environment series

This book presents an historical analysis of the global paper industry evolution from a comparative perspective. At the centre are 16 producing countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, the USA, Germany, Canada, Japan, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Russia). A comparative study of the paper industry evolution can achieve the following important research objectives. First, we can identify the country specific historical features of paper industry evolution and compare them to the general business trends explicable by existing theoretical knowledge. Second, we can identify and isolate the factors causing both the rise and fall of industrial populations. Third, a shared research agenda can produce an intensive analysis of global industry dynamics. Finally, an extended research period of 250 years can identify what is truly unique in the paper industry evolution and the extent to which it took the same path as other important manufacturing industries.

Pulp and Paper Industry: Chemical Recovery examines the scientific and technical advances that have been made in chemical recovery, including the very latest developments. It looks at general aspects of the chemical recovery process and its significance, black liquor evaporation, black liquor combustion, white liquor preparation, and lime reburning. The book also describes the technologies for chemical recovery of nonwood black liquor, as well as direct alkali regeneration systems in small pulp mills. In addition, it includes a discussion of alternative chemical recovery processes, i.e. alternative causticization and gasification processes, and the progress being made in the recovery of filler, coating color, and pigments. Furthermore, it discusses the utilization of new value streams (fuels and chemicals) from residuals and spent pulping liquor, including related environmental challenges. - Offers thorough and in-depth coverage of scientific and technical advances in chemical recovery in pulp making - Discusses alternative chemical recovery processes, i.e., alternative causticization and gasification processes - Covers the progress being made in the recovery of filler, coating color, and pigments - Examines utilization of new value streams (fuels and chemicals) from residuals and spent pulping liquor - Discusses environmental challenges (air emissions, mill closure) - Presents ways in which the economics, energy efficiency, and environmental protection associated with the recovery process can be improved

Pulp and paper production has increased globally and will continue to increase in the near future. Approximately 155 million tons of wood pulp is produced worldwide and about 260 million is projected for the year 2010. To be able to cope with increasing demand, an increase in productivity and improved environmental performance is needed as the industry is also under constant pressure to reduce and modify environmental emissions to air and water. The authors give updated information on various biotechnological processes useful in the pulp and paper industry which could help in reducing the environmental pollution problem, in addition to other benefits. Various chapters deal with the latest developments in such areas as raw material preparation, pulping, bleaching, water management, waste treatment and utilization. The book also covers the environmental regulations in various parts of the world as well as the role of biotechnology in reducing environmental problems.