Washington State’s Department of Ecology shares past inspection reports revealing historic tank equipment failure regarding the tank that ruptured at the Nippon Dynaware Packaging site, Longview, Washington, US.
The paper mill tank failed in late May, spilling more than 500,000 gallons (1.9 million litres) of ‘white liquor’ onto employees and into waterways, killing 11 workers and injuring eight others. Since then, inspection reports mentioning leaks at the tank in late 2023 and early 2024, as well as evidence that the company didn’t immediately repair the problem and had ‘difficulty’ when attempting to fix it, have been made public.
The Department website states: ‘Following the emergency response at the mill, there have been many questions about oversight and regulation at Nippon Dynawave and similar industrial facilities. As the emergency response comes to a close, both Ecology’s spills and industrial compliance staffs will be investigating this incident. Kraft pulp and paper mills are complex industrial facilities that are subject to extensive state and federal regulations. To help respond to public requests and general questions about that oversight, we are collecting recent permitting, inspection, compliance and enforcement documents related to the facility. We hope that sharing these documents will facilitate public understanding of the compliance and enforcement history of the mill.’
