Domtar announces millions in improvements to Kamloops mill

Apr 10, 2018 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Domtar pulp mill has unveiled new capital improvements this spring meant to further its pollution reduction and safety improvement efforts.

The mill has already reduced its particulate emissions by 67 per cent since 2011, and its odour by 70 per cent in the same time period.

But in a report to Kamloops council this afternoon, Environmental Manager Kristin Danglemaier said the company wants to take that further.

Domtar will spend $1 million on a chemical recovery boiler electrostatic precipitator this spring, as well as $2.5 million for a new scrubber that will eliminate the need to employ sulfur dioxide.

“Sulfur dioxide is what we feel is the most hazardous chemical we use at the pulp mill. So once these improvements are in place, we’ll be able to cease bringing that material in altogether,” said Danglemaier.

Kamloops Domtar’s ongoing emission levels sit well below its permitted allowable limits, but Danglemaier says the company is still looking at ways to reduce them.

“The pulp mill produces products that we rely upon every day; it’s tissue, it’s towel, it’s paper. Along with that, though, we know that the process to produce that product is not odour-free. We focus year after year on ways to implement and improve odour capture, odour treatment and odour control.”