A pulp mill in Longview, Washington, where 11 workers died in a chemical tank collapse in May, had a documented history of safety complaints, inadequate maintenance, and toxic chemical discharges, according to records reviewed by The Associated Press.
State inspectors had been scheduled to visit the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. plant the week of the tragedy to investigate two unrelated safety complaints. The tank failed as the workday began, releasing a large volume of caustic liquid.
Records indicate that since 2016, the state Department of Ecology issued 54 environmental violation notices and imposed $41,500 in fines for eight serious violations. The state's Department of Labor and Industries investigated over a dozen safety complaints at the plant since 2018, resulting in nearly $7,000 in fines. This department's investigation into the tank collapse is ongoing, with two new investigations opened since May.
Since 2015, workers' compensation claims totaling more than $2.4 million have been paid for 169 employees injured on the job, including injuries from caustic substance exposure, according to the agency. The mill employs 530 workers and produces pulp for paper goods.
A chemical engineering professor, Stephen Kmiotek, described the multiple equipment failures and safety violations as a "red flag," suggesting the site had not been maintained, thereby increasing risk to employees and the public.
Prior to the May incident, the U.S. Chemical and Safety Board reported that the company was aware the tank was "not fit for continued service" for months before its collapse but continued to use it. Following the accident, the state's Department of Ecology issued a violation notice with 35 citations.
Nippon Dynawave spokesperson Sam Jefferies declined to comment on the records concerning maintenance and equipment, stating the company is cooperating with regulators and prefers to let the full investigation proceed before drawing conclusions.
Legal action has also been taken, with Sheri Lynn King, mother of two brothers killed in the incident, filing a wrongful-death lawsuit. The suit alleges the company failed in its duties regarding equipment maintenance and inspection, employee training and supervision, and the implementation of safety policies and emergency procedures.
An employee complaint filed in March with the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health noted a detached handle on an ammonia clarifier tank valve, preventing it from closing and potentially releasing toxic air. The worker also cited a risk of explosion, adding that delivery drivers were exposed to toxic air.
The Department of Labor and Industries had planned to interview workers on May 26, the day of the tank collapse, regarding this complaint. An investigation concluded in August with a citation and a $2,890 fine for the plant's failure to inspect and maintain pipes, hoses, and valves, and to mitigate equipment failure due to the corrosive nature of the handled materials. The plant also failed to maintain inspection records for an aqua ammonia tank and associated equipment.
Another incident under investigation occurred on April 9, when an employee reported falling into a sinkhole and becoming submerged in hot stock up to his chest while attempting to fix a stuck drain valve. The worker stated the valve had been plugged for a year, leading to gravel displacement and the sinkhole. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
Reports of methyl mercaptan releases from the plant were made to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Response Center eight times between 2017 and 2023, stemming from issues such as scrubber failure, equipment malfunction, and power outages. Methyl mercaptan is a flammable gas that can cause serious health effects, including death.
In September 2017, state ecology inspectors were notified of a methyl mercaptan release that resulted in a private citizen's hospitalization. Residents had also lodged odor complaints around the plant for years, with the company fined $4,500 in 2024 for releasing excessive sulfur dioxide.
Past incidents include a 2020 release of black liquor, a caustic chemical, from a storage tank due to equipment failure, with approximately 250,000 gallons discharging and contaminating gravel, though no enforcement action was taken. Professor Kmiotek noted that such spills are rare and typically contained.
Additionally, equipment failure caused a chlorine release in 2021, with further chlorine leaks occurring in 2024 and 2025. In August 2021, about 3,000 gallons of white liquor were released from a storage tank due to an open valve during startup, overflowing containment and entering a storm drain.
An older conveyor belt and poorly maintained wood chip piles were identified as causes for a 2023 fire at the mill, according to fire investigators, with workers having previously complained about the belt's condition.