Number: 1991-12
WHEREAS, there is widespread use of white, bleached paper products; and
WHEREAS, unbleached paper provides an effective alternative to bleached paper products; and
WHEREAS, the use of chlorine in the paper-making process inevitably results in the incidental chlorination of hundreds of organic compounds; and
WHEREAS, several of these chlorinated compounds, especially 2, 3, 7, 8 – TCDD, are toxic to humans, wildlife and fish; and
WHEREAS, new technologies have been developed to: 1) eliminate the use of chlorine in the pulp and paper-making process; or 2) eliminate the emission of any chlorinated organic compounds;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 21-24, 1991, in Memphis, Tennessee, urges all government agencies to use available authorities to eliminate the use of chlorine in this industry by prohibiting the construction of new chlorine-using pulp and paper mills, prohibiting the expansion of existing chlorine-using mills and requiring the fastest possible elimination of chlorine use by existing mills; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation urges consumers to adopt the use of unbleached paper wherever practical and to voluntarily recycle waste paper; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the paper-making industry is urged to employ new methods of making paper products that do not require the use of chlorine or any substitutes that may threaten public health or the environment and, in the meantime, find a way to eliminate the incidentally chlorinated hydrocarbons.