Paper mills generate various waste streams, and historically, a significant portion of these waste streams ended up in landfills. However, in recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on waste reduction and sustainability in the paper industry. 

The Oaktree currently work with a number of paper mills to reduce the stream that ends up in the landfills, especially to make sure that waste containing PFAS and toxic chemicals are handled in a safe way.

Currently, we are also researching to see if the ash that comes out of the mills’ process and that potentially contains arsenic, cadmium, and other heavy metals can be used for other applications than as soil amendment.

We are also investigating the commercial feasibility of separating and recycling lime mud, lime slaker grits, and green liquor dregs, as they frequently contain PFAS and other chemicals. Therefore, it is not advisable to use them in agricultural applications.