Environmental leadership and innovation are important elements in Verso Paper’s
sustainability strategy. We know that by partnering with state and federal agencies,
environmental groups, customers and other interested stakeholders, we can improve
environmental performance at our facilities.
National Environmental Performance Track
Verso’s Androscoggin and Bucksport Mills in Maine participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s National Environmental Performance Track (NEPT). To become an NEPT member, a facility
must operate at a level of environmental excellence that goes beyond compliance to benefit
the environment and the community.
Bucksport Environmental Innovation Project
One of Verso’s most effective collaborations has been the BEIP – Bucksport (Maine)
Environmental Innovation Partnership. Instead of simply “doing what’s required,” this
partnership evaluated the letter of the law for the true spirit of its intent – real
environmental improvement. The BEIP includes the Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), US EPA, Town of Bucksport, North East States for Coordinated Air Use
Management (NESCAUM), a federal land manager, the University of Maine, the Maine Coalition
for Sensible Energy and interested citizens.
The partnership began with an agreement the mill reached with the DEP and EPA to identify
and implement a series of plant-wide emissions reductions projects in lieu of previously
mandated air emissions control equipment for a gas turbine that was installed at the mill
in 2001. The gas turbine had already resulted in a 70 percent reduction in air emissions
and significant reductions in solid waste. The mill and DEP agreed that the plant-wide
projects would provide greater environmental benefits at a lower cost.
To date, the mill has spent $3.43 million for projects that were evaluated and approved by
the BEIP. The selected projects -- technical improvements to all four paper machines and the conversion
to natural gas in one of the mill’s boilers – reduced NOx emissions by 30%, SO2
emission by 54%, water use by 8% with additional reductions expected, and sewer losses by
19%. Projected annual savings are $1.3 million.
New England Grid Operators Demand Response Program
Verso Paper's Bucksport and Androscoggin Mills in Maine participate in the New England Grid
Operators Demand Response Program, which helps to more effectively manage electricity and
reduce operational problems that typically occur during peak load times on the regional power
grid. Participants are required to reduce load quickly when the grid operator signals an
operational problem, normally resulting from inadequate generation to support the load in
New England. On more than one occasion, the Bucksport Mill provided more demand response
(interruption of load) than any other facility in New England, helping to keep the electric
grid stable. In August 2007, our Maine mills participated in a test audit of the Demand
Response Program and achieved a response that was even better than expected. Bucksport and
Androscoggin each responded with over 100 MW of interruption. The mills stand ready for a
call to interrupt demand when the New England power grid faces its next emergency overload
condition.
ReMix
Verso Paper encourages post-consumer fiber recovery and recycling through our partnership with
Time Inc. and the National Recycling Coalition in ReMix – Recycling Magazines is Excellent.
Recycling benefits the environment by diverting paper waste from landfills and by reducing
the greenhouse gas releases (methane) that occur when paper products biodegrade in the
environment. ReMix was created to raise awareness that magazines and catalogs can be recycled
with other paper products in residential recycling programs. The program exemplifies Verso’s
commitment to work with customers and other important stakeholders to promote environmental
sustainability.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, about 2 million tons of magazines are
produced each year in the United States, but only about 32 percent are recycled as compared to
the overall national average paper recovery rate of 56%. Research
shows that Americans support recycling but are often uncertain about what paper products can be recycled.
ReMix is designed to let them know that magazines and catalogs can be recycled right along
with their newspapers.
ReMix is already active and showing positive results in five municipalities: New York City,
Boston, Prince George’s County, Md., Portland, Ore., and Milwaukee, Wis.
Beneficial Use of Mill Residuals
Verso Paper’s Quinnesec Mill participates in a mutually beneficial partnership and
collaborative research program with the iron mining industry in Michigan in which the facility
provides mill residuals for waste rock stockpile reclamation. Normally, these residuals
would be disposed of in landfills. This beneficial use of paper mill residuals for mine
reclamation provides an environmentally sound recycling solution for the solids generated
at Quinnesec Mill and eliminates the need to strip additional soil for final mine
reclamation. The paper mill residuals promote vegetation on waste rock stockpile slopes
and surfaces to establish a self-sustaining plant community that meets final reclamation
requirements. In other words, mill residuals offer a cost-effective source of organics
and nutrients necessary for successful reclamation and waste rock stockpiles offer an
economical and environmentally sound solution for disposal of residuals.
