As of March 16, residents of Escambia County may notice some new, different smells circulating in the air.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Northwest District approved a Title V Air Operation Permit Revision to International Paper Company for the Pensacola Mill in Cantonment.
The mill has been converted from a hardwood and softwood facility to a completely hardwood facility, increasing the mill’s pulp and paper production to a peak level of approximately 2,500 air dried tons of unbleached pulp per day.
This conversion to completely softwood facilities will result an increase of 109.40 tons of toxic emissions into the air.
These emissions include volatile organic compounds, mono-nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, sulfuric oxide mist and particulate matter.
Volatile organic compounds and particulate matter are suspected to be carcinogens, while all of the chemicals are suspected to be respiratory toxicants, according Scorecard.org, a pollution information website.
Softwood is used to make a harder, thicker paper, such as cardboard, that is generally dark in color and not bleached to turn white, while on the other hand, hardwood is used to make smooth, soft, white paper, which requires bleaching.
“They are in business to make money,” said Jack Fleck, an Engineering Specialist for the Florida DEP. “And I assume that this is a cost cutting move.”
IP is a global paper and packaging company that is ranked No. 93 among the Fortune 500 companies. The company operates 16 pulp, paper and packaging mills, including the Pensacola location, which has been in operation since 1941. Through 2007, IP has over 51,000 employees worldwide, with just over 31,000 of those being employed in the United States.
IP failed to comment on the Title V revision after numerous contact attempts were made.
The process to convert the Pensacola Mill to a completely softwood facility began in November 2006, with IP submitting a request for an application for construction that explained the process and how things were supposed to occur during the revision.
After the DEP approved the construction application, IP began the conversion, which began physically in September 2007 and was completed physically early in 2008.
As usual with any Title V revision, the long, drawn out part of the process begins after the construction, according to Fleck.
“After the actual construction, things get bogged down,” Fleck said. “Tests are run on the emissions, which can take up to three months depending on the difficulty of the tests and the size of the tests.
“After the tests are run, the company then gets 75 days to receive and report the results, along with their application, to the DEP. Then the DEP begins their review of the results and questioning process, which can take anywhere from 30, 45, 60 days.”
Once the DEP approves the results, the company must publish a public notice of the change. At times, the notice comes months after the DEP approves the results.
IP published their notice for a revision in The Pensacola News Journal on December 19, 2008.
Once the notice goes public, the community has 30 days for public comment. If there is no public comment, the DEP approves the revision.
No public comment was made on the revision for IP, resulting in the approval.
IP’s current Title V Air Operation Permit expires October 27, 2011 and they must apply for renewal by March 16 of the same year.
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