AET was created to establish a clearinghouse of educational and technical resources relating to chlorine dioxide and its use in papermaking. AET's ultimate goal is to continuously improve the environmental performance of U.S. and Canadian papermaking, and eliminate the discharge of toxic pollutants into our rivers, streams, lakes and oceans. A New Technology Chlorine dioxide is a practical, proven technology for use in papermaking. It is without rival in terms of environmental performance. It is safely produced at each mill, typically from the raw materials of sodium chlorate, sulfuric acid and methanol.
Chlorine dioxide is remarkable, particularly in the way it reacts with organic compounds in wood.
In February 1993, some 56 representatives of the paper industry and affiliated associations met at the University of Toronto to discuss how environmental responsibility could be balanced with high-quality papermaking. Two months later in Atlanta, working groups hammered out a mission statement and objectives. They agreed on the importance of recognizing chlorine dioxide as an effective pollution prevention strategy in papermaking. Sterling Pulp Chemicals' Robert Bannon, a co-founding member, invited interested parties to join. The Alliance for Environmental Technology.