59Q_ 



JOINT STATEMENT OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE CONFEREES 



Control Administration and the Washington Water Pollution 



Control Coiranission, and utilized the best professionally 



and scientifically trained people on their respective 



staffs, other State and Federal agencies^ and major 



Northwest universities. The study and the pro and con 



arguments thereon provide a comprehensive basis from 



which to draw firm conclusions and form recommendations. 



"Basically, the report stated that certain 



well defined areas of Puget Sound waters were polluted from 



pulp and paper mill wastes. This pollution exerted itself 



at great distances from the mills by being toxic to adult 



and juvenile oysters, oyster larvae, and flatfish eggs. 



Nearer the mills, in the confined areas near river mouths, 



the decomposing sludge beds and large volumes of liquid 



effluents produced conditions toxic to fingerling salmon 



and steelhead migrating from the rivers to the ocean. 



In order to reduce this pollution, the report recommended 



that all of the pulp and paper mills studied provide 



primary treatment facilities for wastes containing 



settleable solids, provide adequate outfall lines, and 



remove the existing accumulations of sludge beds. The 



report recommended that four of the mills recover a 



percentage of sulfite waste liquors from their pulping 



effluents. 



