TASMANIA'S PULP MILL 
Frequently asked Questions
Despite the media coverage of the pulp mills approval and the claims and counter claims being made, there are still lots of frequently asked questions.
- Question Will the approved pulp mill be greenhouse positive and climate friendly?
On 20th August the Greenhouse gas credentials of the approved pulp mill were explained at a public forum in Launceston.
Hosted by University of Tasmania School of Government reader Peter Hay, the forum was titled "Gunns Pulp Mill and Climate Change - Tasmanian Issues - Global Responsibilities".
Gunns resource manager Calton Frame, said the pulp mill would lower greenhouse gas emissions. "An independent assessment of the mill's carbon footprint by leading Australian consultants Pacific Air and Environment found the mill would reduce greenhouse emissions by 1.1 million tonnes a year," he said. [See media release]
Forestry Tasmania executive general manager Hans Drielsma, said using more wood would help reduce greenhouse gasses. Wood created less greenhouse gas than the production of steel and aluminium. Dr Drielsma showed how the State’s forests were managed to increase carbon storage as well as timber, fibre and energy. [see FT Carbon]
However the Wilderness Society refused to accept this evidence and continues to claim that 10 million tonnes of GHG will be generated by the pulp mill. This is based on the amount of woodchips and harvesting residues that will be created regardless of the pulp mill. The woodchip will be exported to Asia rather than value added in Tasmania, the claim also excludes the fact that forest regrowth will soak up any GHG released. [see briefing Note]
- Question - Will the pulp mill impact on Wilderness?
The pulp mill will have no impact on wilderness. It will be built in an heavy industrial estate just south of the regional centre of George Town and will source timber outside of areas deemed High Quality Wilderness by the Federal Government. In fact, 97% of high quality wilderness is reserved in Tasmania, where timber harvesting is excluded.
- Question - will the pulp mill impact on old growth forests?
Pulp logs for the mill will only be harvested from Regrowth and plantation forest. No old growth logs will be accepted as feed stock to the mill. Forestry Tasmania has published it pulp wood supply contract with Gunns.
- Question - Will chlorine be the bleaching agent as proposed for a mill in 1989.?
The mill will not use element chlorine to bleach the pulp. Instead it will be Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF).
- Question How much water will the pulp mill use?
Water is a fundamental resource requirement of a pulp mill. It is used in all of the cooking, cooling and washing processes.
The proposed pulp mill at Bell Bay is designed to use 23.5 m3 of water per tonne of pulp produced.
The required raw water supply when operating at full capacity of 1.1 million air dried tonne of pulp each year is 25.85 million m3 each year. This amount is also referred to as 26 gigalitres a year, or another way of expressing this is 26,000 megalitres. This water will be supplied from the Trevallyn Dam via a pipeline.
