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essentials, entertainment, exploration, ephemera, etc… » Chaos Theory And Consequence - The Rock-Tenn Example

The easiest part of environmental policy is to campaign against those things which obviously have a seemingly negative impact on our world or community. These crusades produce the most exposure, activism, and political maneuvering. No company wants to be portrayed as a bad steward and despite the rhetoric from rabid protesters most corporations do their best to balance environmental, workforce and profit obligations.

We know that coal has a negative impact on air quality. That is not good even as it is cheaper than most other ways of producing energy, supplies are plentiful, and new technology has made it somewhat friendlier to the environment. 

• Excel  Energy was persuaded by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to close it’s High Bridge coal plant in favor of a natural gas energy plant.
• Rock-Tenn Company produces paper from recycled material. The company processes half the recycled paper in Minnesota and nearly 1 percent of the United States total.

Rock-Tenn company gets power from Excel Energy via a steam pipeline from the High Bridge plant. When this facility closes in June, Rock-Tenn will be depending on another source of energy. The temporary plan calls for the recycler to produce their own power with  on site backup boilers. These boilers will use fuel oil and natural gas when the price for gas is affordable. This is not the long term solution and subsequent power plans are in flux. The future of the St. Paul Rock-Tenn paper mill is now hinging on the success of a plan to supply the company’s power needs by burning a fuel called refuse derived fuel ( RDF ). Opposition groups derisively refer to this as burning garbage. Technically it is, but by the same token the St. Paul mills product (paper) is made from garbage also. The burn of the RDF fuel source is said to be clean.That’s not to say there are no downsides to using RDF. The ash produced can contain toxic material and has to be dumped in a rural location or  possibly reused in cement or added to roadbeds. Opponents have persuaded the neighborhood to reject this solution by conjuring the image that burning garbage would foul the air. 

What seems odd to me is the environmentalists’ opposition to the biomass power plant. Excel Energy yielded to the MPCA and closed a coal plant which in turn might bring down the largest paper recycling plant in Minnesota.  What will the net result be if Rock-Tenn is forced to close?

• 500 high paying jobs.
• The $75 million  economy boost the mill provides.
• More energy to transport Minnesota’s  paper for recycling to mills and converters.

I want to be fair and the best result for the community and to that end will disclose that I am a 27 plus year empoyee at the St Paul mill.

Please contribute a comment if you are concerned about any aspect of this issue.

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 2nd, 2007 at 4:42 pm and is filed under environment. You can follow responses to this entry through the Comments RSS Feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your site.