NC0005321_Facility Update_20000726

BUCKEYE
1000 EAST NOIR ST., P.O. BOX 1305
LUMBERTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28359
TEL [phone] FAX [phone]
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uff 8 2000
July 26, 2000
Ms. Belinda Henson
North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
Suite 714, Wachovia Building
Fayetteville, N.C. 28301-5043
Ms. Henson:
This letter is a follow up to our phone conversation on June 5, 2000.
Buckeye Lumberton has begun working on a project to install a new processing operation at the
Lumberton facility. The process will use cotton fibers as the raw materiall The process involves
cleaning and purification of the raw material in a manner similar to textile and pulp mill operations.
The estimated wastewater discharge from this process is — 250,000 to 300,000 gpd. The previous
owner of the process only operated it for a short time and no other data was available.
The major processing chemicals that we plan to use are also currently used in the pulp mill (Sodium
hydroxide, Hydrogen peroxide and Sulfuric acid). The concentrations and quantities used in the new
process will be much lower than those currently used in the pulp mill. We will. also use stabilizers and
sequestrants for the H202 bleach cycle and a finish chemical that at this point is undetermined but will
most likely be a soap or vegetable based compound.
As I mentioned in our phone conversation, after further review of historical WWTP effluent flows and
considering that this process will increase the overall flow, it may be determined that a permit
modification request to allow for increased flow limits is in order. With that possibility in mind we
have taken proactive steps to perform toxicity testing on our effluent using higher percentages of our
effluent and thus far the results have shown no difference from our standard 2.3% sample
concentration.
Our senior management has just recently approved this project and the targeted startup date for the'
facility is ur7001. The groundbreaking ceremony for this new process is tentatively scheduled for
August 5, 2000. This date may move a few days one way or another but we are looking at mid
August in any event.
BUCKEYE LUMBERTON INC.

As you can see we have a tight schedule to work with and we will appreciate your immediate attention
and response.
I �
Please call me at 910-737-3231 if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Chuck Oxendine
Operations Group manager