Understanding the recovery of ecosystems from pulp and paper mill effluents

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The potential for effluents from some pulp and paper mills to affect the environment has been well studied for two decades but there continues to be considerable controversy over the existence of effects, the ecological relevance of endpoints studied, and the magnitude of responses that should arouse concern. The Canadian pulp and paper industry has undergone considerable change over the past decade, with consolidation of companies, closure of many older or smaller mills, and financial failures that have reduced the numbers of operating mills from >130 in 1991 to <80 in 2009. The temporal gradient of closure at facilities where long term research and monitoring programs were previously in place offers a unique opportunity to understand the time frame to recovery of fish populations after reducing stress. We can evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and relevance of endpoints that are widely used in monitoring programs in order to improve standardized monitoring approaches, and understand the potential legacy of industrial effluents following shutdown. This information is critical to address the knowledge gaps that limit the ability of government regulators, scientists and industries to reach consensus in understanding the impacts of pulp and paper mill effluents. Via partnerships with regulatory organizations and industries, we will develop and refine assessment tools to improve our ability to detect and respond to relevant and significant environmental impacts. This improved approach will significantly enhance our ability to: 1) assess risks to the environment from industrial effluents; 2) determine best practices in monitoring which could be used to overcome site-specific challenges; and 3) investigate the resiliency, reversibility and time scale for recovery of ecosystem changes in order to better understand the consequences of exposures on the structure and function of aquatic systems. These are key challenges which must be overcome to continue the development of meaningful monitoring tools that can help protect public resources in Canadian and international settings.