The long-awaited pulp & paper "Cluster Rule" has been signed by President Clinton, but it is a severe disappointment.  The rule has taken the weakest form possible by endorsing only the substitution of chlorine dioxide for elemental chlorine gas in pulp and paper mills.
 

Threats to Workers and Public Health

Many health and environmental advocates worldwide had pressed for a total phase-out of all chlorine and chlorine compounds, because such processes unavoidably produce toxic chemicals like dioxin and other chlorinated organics like chloroform, furans, chloramines, chlorinated resin acids, and other toxic and/or persistent pollutants.

The switch to chlorine dioxide only reduces chlorinated pollution by 60%, it doesn't eliminate it.  This means persistent toxins like dioxin will continue to build up in the food chain from these industries.  In addition, chlorine dioxide poses safety hazards for workers.  The new gas is odorless --- by the time workers can smell the chemical it has already passed toxicity health thresholds.  Therefore, leaks are much more dangerous.  In addition, chlorine dioxide is much more explosive than pure chlorine gas.

Industry Resistance

Numerous new technologies have proven that paper mills can operate competitively, while maintaining jobs and worker safety, by substituting less toxic chemicals in the paper making process.
 
Unfortunately, the American Forest & Paper Association, the Chlorine industry, and other vested interests spent four years blocking and lobbying against the passage of these rules, and they succeeded completely in their work.  (It would be interesting to correlate campaign contributions with this decision....)
 
The companies don't want to make the capital investment needed to switch processes even if the new, less toxic processes are more economical in the long run.

Local Impacts

The rules were far from comprehensive, and only affected certain kinds of paper making.  Only about 10 of Wisconsin's 50 mills were impacted by the rules.  Paper recyclers, which dominate the scene in Northeast Wisconsin, were largely untouched by this rule.  EPA says they will begin to address them next year, but will likely take much longer.

December, 1993:  EPA proposed "Cluster Rule" to regulate air and water discharges, especially dioxin, from pulp and paper mills, citing human health concerns "particularly for people who depend on fishing as part of their ethnic culture or if they are low-income."   EPA recommended oxygen instead of chlorine dioxide in the delignification process, a first step toward a totally chlorine-free, dioxin-free process, and predicts the rule would take effect by 1995.

September, 1994:  The EPA's Draft Dioxin Reassessment reports that "average" Americans already carry levels of dioxin in their bodies "at or near" the levels at which health impacts have been observed in laboratory animals and wildlife.  There is no known "safe" level of dioxin exposure.  Because of their low body weight, children receive disproportionately high doses of dioxin from food and breast milk.

July, 1995:  President Clinton issues an Executive Order on Environmental Justice requiring the EPA to consider disproportionate impacts of its policies on low income and minority populations.

July, 1996:  EPA modifies the proposed "Cluster Rule," adding a second option that would permit the continued use of chlorine dioxide.  This essentially endorses current practices with a federal regulation, with the effect that most mills will not achieve dioxin-free production.
 
Thereafter, the paper industry floods EPA with comments in favor of the chlorine dioxide option.  Former EPA Administrator for Reagan, Lee Thomas, and former Asst. Administrator Tom Jorling lead the effort on behalf of the top two chlorine dioxide users, Georgia Pacific and International Paper, respectively.
 
April, 1997:  President Clinton issues an Executive Order on the Protection of Children From Environmental Risks and Safety Risks, which requires EPA to "ensure that its ... standards address disproportionate risks to children that result from environmental health risks...."

April-May, 1997:  The National Tribal Environmental Council and the Tribal Operations Committee of the American Indian Environmental Office of the EPA, and the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council pass resolutions and write to EPA, urging phase-out of chlorine and chlorine compounds in the pulp and paper industry.

May, 1997:  The EPA abandons its 1993 "Cluster Rule" proposal and embraces the paper industry's chlorine dioxide proposal, ignoring the letter and spirit of the two Executive Orders listed above.

July, 1997:  The EPA sends the new "Cluster Rule" to the White House for approval by the Office of Management and Budget.

July, 1997:  Time magazine and McDonalds join other businesses such as Ben & Jerry's and Kinko's in calling for a stronger Cluster Rule.

November, 1997:  White House affirms EPA's pro-industry proposal.  Mill workers, Native Americans, children and the general public will have continued exposure to toxic chlorine compounds.