The chlorine-bleaching “Pulp Fiction” Mill proposed by GUNNS would greatly escalate old-growth forest destruction while also polluting the atmosphere and local marine environment. GUNNS broke its promise to the public to only pursue a non-chlorine-bleaching Pulp Mill and clearly then its other promise to build “the world’s greenest pulp mill” is merely deceptive propaganda.

In reality GUNNS Ltd. has proposed a pulp mill at Bell Bay which would use outdated and crude technology:

• The proposed pulp mill will not be chlorine free (TCF) as chlorine dioxide will be used in the bleaching process and would use native forest woodchips.

• Liquid effluent from the pulp mill will contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and be discharged into Bass Strait in an area with an extremely low mixing time and close to a diverse and sensitive marine environment containing sponge gardens and tall stands of bull kelp. There are serious fears that local colonies of penguins and seals will be adversely affected.

• Marine effluent from pulp mills is very detrimental to marine life and biodiversity and has the potential to impact fisheries. The outlet from the proposed Pulp Fiction Mill is only a few kilometers from the incredibly bio-diverse hot spot of Low Head sponge gardens.

According to GUNNS, the mill will require 30 years’ access to native old-growth forests.

Biodiversity in the forests of NE Tasmania will drastically decline if the mill is to go ahead as proposed, with severe impacts on the wedge-tailed eagle and spotted-tail quoll. The use of native forests containing old growth and mature trees means that more lignin has to be treated and chlorine will be used as part of the bleaching process.

Gaseous emissions from the pulp mill will be severely impacting the health and livelihood of the surrounding communities.

The Tamar and local water catchments are already under huge pressure and water restrictions are becoming more common. Accommodating a non-closed cycle (CC) pulp mill with a huge appetite for water will dramatically increase the pressure on the north-east water catchments.

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