Citizens for Safe Water and Air Port Townsend
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Community Safety Questions and Answers

Complete Q&A Following the Longview Mill Disaster of May 26, 2026

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This research has been compiled to the best of our ability from named public sources. If you believe any fact presented here is incorrect or incomplete, please contact safewaterandair@gmail.com so it can be reviewed and corrected.

This document answers frequently asked questions about the May 26, 2026 white liquor tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill in Longview, Washington, and what it means for Port Townsend Paper Company (PTPC), a kraft pulp and paper mill on Port Townsend Bay. All factual claims are sourced from official government records, court documents, and published news reporting.

1. The Longview Disaster: What Happened and Why It Matters Here

Q: What happened at the Longview Nippon Dynawave mill?

On May 26, 2026, at approximately 7:15 AM, a 900,000-gallon tank of white liquor imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill in Longview, Washington. All eleven workers have been confirmed dead, the deadliest industrial accident in modern Washington State history. Governor Ferguson called it 'the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern Washington State history.' Approximately 550,000 gallons of white liquor rushed through work areas, including employee break rooms. 2,226 dead fish were recovered from drainage ditches near the facility by June 1, 2026, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology.

Q: What caused it, according to chemical safety experts?

Seven chemical safety experts interviewed by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) on May 30, 2026 converged on a leading theory. Expert Stan Kmiotek, with a 40-year career, said tank implosions are far rarer than explosions and that he could 'count on one hand' the number he had seen; implosions happen without warning. The leading expert theory is that a blockage prevented air from backfilling the tank as white liquor was pumped out, creating catastrophic negative pressure. Half a dozen colleagues reached the same conclusion.

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), citing its expert sources, reported that 'the implosion happened during a shift change that brought more workers on site and around a break room located next to the massive tank.' United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) Chairperson Steve Owens said, 'The United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is opening an investigation to determine how it happened and what can be done to prevent something like this from happening again.'

Prior incidents and accountability

Q: What is white liquor and why is it so dangerous?

White liquor is a caustic solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium sulfide (Na2S) used in kraft pulping to dissolve lignin from wood chips. Contact causes immediate second and third-degree chemical burns. Its vapors are toxic to eyes, lungs, and throat. At the Longview site it was so caustic it damaged firefighter protective gear. White liquor is not covered by the Risk Management Program (RMP), meaning there are no required public safety plans, no mandated tank size disclosures, and no worst-case release scenario planning for any kraft mill in America.

Q: Is this the same chemical used at PTPC?

Yes, identical process, identical chemical. PTPC is a kraft mill. It uses white liquor in the same way as Nippon Dynawave. The mill sits on 450 acres bordering Port Townsend Bay. PTPC's daily production output of 950 to 1,000 tons per day actually exceeds Nippon Dynawave's approximately 770 tons, suggesting comparable or greater volumes of white liquor in storage. We do not know how large PTPC's white liquor tanks are, when they were last inspected, or what the emergency response plan is for a release near Port Townsend Bay.

On June 1, 2026, PTPC issued a public statement that the company had verified tank vents are open and overflow lines are not submerged, and is scheduling non-destructive testing for 2026. Three admissions stand out. First, 'We are unaware of the root cause of the tank failure or the technical details of the Nippon Dynawave facility.' Second, 'Since the incident in Longview, we have been conducting extra safety inspections,' which confirms pre-Longview practices were insufficient. Third, the company said it is 'working on scheduling further non-destructive testing,' meaning additional testing had not yet been scheduled as of the press release date. Self-conducted verification is not a substitute for independent inspection with publicly disclosed results.

2. The Smell: Toxic Chemicals, Not Rotten Pulp

Q: Is the stink rotten paper pulp or toxic chemicals?

Toxic chemicals, not rotten pulp. The rotten egg and cabbage smells residents report are hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide, Total reduced sulfur (TRS) compounds produced directly by the kraft pulping process. These are the same chemical family as white liquor itself, just escaping through stacks at low concentration. A 2024 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) federal investigation found hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide were measured near PTPC above United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chronic health reference concentrations during mill operations.

Established health effects include eye irritation, respiratory inflammation, fatigue, nausea, headache, and dizziness. Populations most at risk include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children. Nearly 2,000 odor complaints were filed between 2016 and 2021 alone. These were not people being overly sensitive; they were people being repeatedly exposed to toxic compounds at harmful concentrations, confirmed by federal scientists. Critically, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) study detected fourteen distinct sulfur compounds near the mill (ATSDR Health Consultation 334-170, June 2024). The Washington State Department of Ecology currently regulates only four of them, leaving ten compounds with no enforceable regulatory limit at PTPC.

Q: What does the WA Department of Health say, and does it match the federal findings?

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), in a July 2024 document (DOH 334-553), concluded odors are 'Rarely Harmful,' stating that 'most environmental odors, such as those caused by a paper mill, are RARELY AT LEVELS THAT CAN HARM YOUR HEALTH.' This frames odors as a quality-of-life inconvenience, not a health hazard. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), in its 2024 Port Townsend-specific finding, concluded the opposite: hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide were all measured near PTPC above United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chronic health reference concentrations. Same year, same community, opposite conclusions.

There are three possible explanations for the discrepancy, all newsworthy; see the Community Health Report for a full discussion.

3. PTPC's Full Environmental and Safety Compliance Record

Q: What is the safety and environmental record of PTPC?

Clean Air Act: High Priority Violation, Every Quarter

Clean Water Act: Chronic Spills into Port Townsend Bay

Hazardous Waste (RCRA): Emergency Preparedness Failures

Total penalties across all statutes over 5 years exceed $110,750: $63,750 under the Clean Air Act, at least $47,000 confirmed under the Clean Water Act, and $0 under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). For a facility with $319 million in annual expenditures, over $110,750 in confirmed penalties over five years, approximately $22,000 or more per year, is not deterrence; it is a cost of doing business. The Environmental Integrity Project's 2025 national study specifically named PTPC as an example of the enforcement gap between violations and consequences.

Separately, the American Geophysical Union's TEX has an active Port Townsend project pairing the community with pro-bono atmospheric scientists to design a community sulfur monitoring network and develop a regulatory proposal for the Washington State Department of Ecology, providing independent scientific support for this advocacy (thrivingearthexchange.org/project/port-townsend-wa/). The Good Jobs First Violation Tracker documents $108,020,712 in penalties across 143 violation records for companies currently owned by Atlas Holdings.

Q: What toxic chemicals does PTPC release annually?

Per PTPC's own United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) TRI filings for the 2024 reporting year (covering 2023 calendar year activity), the mill released 377,546 pounds of toxic chemicals in total. The individual chemicals, their 2024-reported pounds, and their primary health effects are as follows.

4. Wastewater Discharge, Testing, and Port Townsend Bay

Q: What does it mean that the mill sends treated wastewater directly into Port Townsend Bay?

PTPC operates a large industrial wastewater treatment plant that treats process water and discharges it directly into Port Townsend Bay, continuously, for more than 100 years. Between April 2018 and March 2023, PTPC discharged an average of 9.6 million gallons of treated wastewater per day; the highest recorded single day reached 14.4 million gallons. The discharge pipe extends 1,200 feet offshore and releases through 29 separate openings at a depth of 45 feet.

PTPC's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, the legal document governing what the mill can discharge into the bay, expired in October 2018 and remained on administrative extension for over six years. The Washington State Department of Ecology attributed the delay to 'largely competing priorities and staff turnover.' A new permit was issued in May 2025. It includes new limits for three carcinogens previously unregulated here despite 100-plus years of discharge: benzo(a)anthracene and chlordane, classified as probably causing cancer in humans, and pentachlorophenol, known to cause cancer in humans, the same classification given to tobacco smoke and asbestos, and also a banned pesticide.

The mill was also authorized to discharge 7 percent more effluent under the new permit. No enforceable final limits on these three carcinogens take effect until 2029. Background concentrations are assumed to be zero for 27 pollutants because no prior measurements exist. A Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) study is now required but has not yet been conducted.

Q: What is Whole Effluent Toxicity testing, and why hasn't it been required?

Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) testing exposes live aquatic organisms directly to discharge water and measures biological harm, regardless of which specific compound causes it. It catches what compound-by-compound testing misses entirely. Test organisms include fathead minnows, Daphnia water fleas, and mysid shrimp. Cost runs $12,000 to $24,000 per year on a quarterly basis, trivial for a facility with $319 million in annual expenditures. Port Townsend Bay has received 100-plus years of industrial discharge without a single independent biological harm assessment.

Order-of-magnitude comprehensive testing cost estimates, which require confirmation from certified labs, break down across four tiers.

5. White Liquor Tank Sizes: Longview vs. Port Townsend

Q: How do the white liquor tank sizes in Longview and Port Townsend compare?

In Longview, at Nippon Dynawave, the confirmed failed tank capacity was 900,000 gallons. Contents at the time of implosion were approximately 60 percent full, or roughly 550,000 gallons, and approximately 550,000 gallons were released. 2,226 dead fish were recovered from surrounding drainage ditches by June 1, 2026.

In Port Townsend, PTPC's white liquor tank sizes, ages, inspection dates, and secondary containment capacity are not in any public database. White liquor is exempt from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Risk Management Program (RMP), so there is no required public safety plan on file. PTPC's daily production of 950 to 1,000 tons exceeds Nippon Dynawave's approximately 770 tons, suggesting comparable or greater white liquor storage volumes, but no public document confirms the actual tank sizes. To obtain this information, file a public records request with the Washington State Department of Ecology, or request Tier II hazardous chemical inventory reports from the Jefferson County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).

6. Worker Safety: Shift Hours, OSHA, and L and I

Q: How many hours do employees work per shift at PTPC?

Confirmed from PTPC's own job postings on Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter, the schedule is a 4-day rotation on an 8-day tour: 2 day shifts from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM and 2 night shifts from 5:00 PM to 5:00 AM, followed by 4 days off. Shift changes occur at exactly 5:00 AM and 5:00 PM, twice every day the mill operates. Mandatory overtime is common; employee reviews describe 50 to 60-plus hours per week as normal. Scheduled shutdowns mean 'always 16-hour days' per employee reviews. Reviews also describe understaffing, stating 'Millwrights are doing jobs that used to take 6 people minimum with 3.'

Q: Are there any OSHA complaints against PTPC?

Federal OSHA does not apply in Washington State. Washington is a federally-approved 'state plan state.' Worker safety is governed by Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA), administered by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L and I), not federal OSHA. Searching OSHA.gov will not return PTPC's worker safety record. The full Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) inspection and citation history for PTPC is held by L and I and has not been publicly obtained.

Three National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) unfair labor practice cases have been filed: 19-CA-341576, 19-CA-285952, and 19-CB-297178, the latter involving the Steelworkers Union. A public records request can be sent to publicrecords@lni.wa.gov requesting all Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) inspection reports, citations, penalties, and injury or illness records for PTPC, 2015 to present. This is a public record and a matter of urgent community interest.

7. Lawsuits: PTPC, National Precedents, and Class Actions

Q: Are there any lawsuits against PTPC specifically?

PTPC has been the subject of several legal actions across multiple statutes and forums, summarized here by case, action type, year, and outcome.

Q: What are the national kraft mill legal precedents?

A kraft containerboard mill in Catawba, South Carolina, operated by New-Indy, released the identical Total reduced sulfur (TRS) chemicals as PTPC: hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide, drawing more than 30,000 complaints to state regulators. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency order in May 2021 under Clean Air Act Section 303, followed by a consent decree in December 2021 and a $1.1 million civil penalty. A $103 million total settlement was approved by a federal court in June 2024, including $18 million paid directly to approximately 6,000 households, or about $3,000 per household, and $85 million for remediation, including steam stripper installation, lagoon covers, and environmental repair.

Port Townsend's position is materially stronger than New-Indy's was: approximately 2,000 documented complaints, federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) confirmation of toxic levels, 100-plus years of bay discharge, and a mill still actively operating, meaning both injunction and damages remain available as remedies.

Separately, a Maine kraft mill class action, Demmons v. ND Paper, was filed in October 2022 in United States District Court for the District of Maine. Plaintiffs are approximately 5,900 households within 2.5 miles, alleging nuisance, trespass, and negligence over chronic Total reduced sulfur (TRS) rotten-egg emissions identical to PTPC's. On September 12, 2023, the court denied the motion to dismiss on the nuisance and negligence claims, finding them legally viable and allowing the case to proceed to discovery. Port Townsend's position is stronger here too: approximately 2,000 documented complaints versus 70 in Maine, federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) confirmation, and a mill still actively operating.

8. Who Owns PTPC: Atlas Holdings

Q: Who owns PTPC?

Acquisition commitments vs. reality

At the time of the acquisition, incoming Crown Paper Group chairman Randy Nebel stated, 'Our goal is simple; we will be a superb employer, a trusted steward of our communities and a valued partner for our customers and suppliers.' Atlas co-founder Tim Fazio said, 'Paper, packaging and allied industries remain an important and growing sector for Atlas. We are thrilled to welcome the Crown team and excited to get to work in building an even stronger company.' Port Townsend City Manager John Mauro said at the time of acquisition, 'The city perspective is the water supply, which was built into our water contract that was approved last year.'

In the three-plus years since, PTPC has continued 11 of 12 quarters in Clean Air Act High Priority Violation, has been subject to two new formal enforcement orders in April and May 2026, had 9 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) emergency preparedness failures in June 2025, and had a 114,000 gallon spill in April 2025 (source: peninsuladailynews.com/2022/10/14/port-townsend-paper-mill-parent-firm-purchased/).

Atlas Holdings' own website stated, in April 2023 (atlasholdingsllc.com/our-approach/safety/), 'Our view on safety is clear; all Atlas operating companies must pursue and achieve WORLD-CLASS SAFETY PERFORMANCE and are HELD ACCOUNTABLE for reaching that goal. We believe all workplace accidents are preventable.' The documented record since Atlas acquired PTPC in October 2022 stands in contradiction to that statement.

The question for county and city commissioners is who at Atlas Holdings is specifically 'held accountable' for this record, and what that accountability has looked like in practice.

9. PTPC's Claims, Toxic Exposure, and Hidden Data

Q: What does PTPC say about itself, and does it match the record?

PTPC describes itself as 'a responsible neighbor and preserving the environment.' On April 23, 2025, PTPC announced 156 consecutive days without a recordable injury, the highest in 25 years. This press release was issued approximately one month before the April 2025 discharge of 114,000 gallons of untreated wastewater into Port Townsend Bay, PTPC's largest documented spill. A recordable injury is a cut, a fall, a burn, an acute traumatic event; it says nothing about chronic toxic exposure.

The same company calling itself a 'responsible neighbor' has 13-plus documented industrial spills into Port Townsend Bay since 2013, 11 of 12 quarters in Clean Air Act High Priority Violation, and federal scientists confirming toxic compounds above health reference levels near the facility.

Q: What data should be released, and what might PTPC be hiding?

Documents that exist at PTPC but are not public, and why they matter, include the following.

10. Laws and Regulations: What Exists and What's Needed

Q: What tools are available now, without new legislation?

Contra Costa County, California: the industrial safety ordinance gold standard

Contra Costa County's Industrial Safety Ordinance has been called 'the strongest local ordinance in the nation,' enacted after the Chevron Richmond fire. It was expanded in September 2024 to cover tanks of 50,000 gallons or more. It requires independent safety audits with public results, regular county inspections, fines for deficiencies, and root cause analysis after any major incident. Jefferson County can enact this now. The Longview disaster is Port Townsend's Chevron Richmond moment.

New Washington State laws urgently needed

11. What Should PTPC Do Now?

Immediate: this week

Short term: next 30 days

Community-facing: proactive disclosure

12. Water: The Community's Strongest Lever

Q: How much water does PTPC use compared to the community?

PTPC does not use bay water. The mill draws freshwater from the Big and Little Quilcene Rivers via the Olympic Gravity Water System (OGWS), a nearly 30-mile gravity pipeline built in 1927 to 1928. Port Townsend Bay is the discharge destination for treated wastewater, not the water source for operations.

The City of Port Townsend uses approximately 1 million gallons per day. PTPC uses 10 to 13 million gallons per day, approximately 12 to 13 times more than all Port Townsend residents combined, and approximately 3 to 5 times more than the entire county combined. Jefferson PUD's largest well, Sparling, produces 500,000 gallons per day; PTPC alone uses 20 to 26 times this amount.

The 2026 rate review: an opportunity to attach safety conditions

The rate model updates every 5 years, and the next update is due by the end of 2026. The City of Port Townsend owns the water rights; PTPC has no independent right to the water. This is the most powerful near-term opportunity to attach conditions to water access, including mandatory independent white liquor tank inspections, public disclosure of all wastewater test results quarterly, WET testing as a contractual water agreement requirement, an independent environmental audit every 3 years, and a specific emergency response protocol for a white liquor release near the bay.

13. Alternative Pulping Methods: Are There Safer Options?

Q: What methods do not use white liquor, and are they safer?

Kraft dominates because it produces the strongest pulp from the widest range of wood species, essential for containerboard. PTPC already blends recycled OCC fiber with virgin kraft; increasing the OCC ratio reduces white liquor volumes and proportionally reduces catastrophic release risk without changing the product line. Organosolv, a benign kraft alternative, produces no sulfur compounds and no large caustic tanks, but remains at pilot scale only.

14. The National Picture: Kraft Mills and Systemic Failure

Q: What is the national overview of kraft paper plants in the United States?

The Environmental Integrity Project's May 2025 study of 185 large United States paper mills called out PTPC by name: Clean Air Act violation in 11 of 12 quarters, 5 enforcement actions, and $44,000 in total water fines. The study also found the oldest boiler of all 185 mills was installed in 1928 at Nippon Dynawave in Longview, the same plant that killed 11 workers, published 8 months before the disaster.

Q: What has happened at other kraft mills?

The community pattern matches Port Townsend exactly: odors dismissed as nuisance, thousands of complaints, years of inaction, federal scientists confirming toxic levels, enforcement actions, inadequate penalties, and litigation. Port Townsend is not ahead of this curve; it is somewhere in the middle. The question for Port Townsend is whether accountability comes before or after a disaster.

15. City and County Perspectives: Taxes, Water, and Economic Dependency

Q: How do the City of Port Townsend and Jefferson County each view this issue?

City of Port Townsend

Jefferson County

Both bodies must internalize a critical distinction: demanding a white liquor tank inspection is not threatening the mill's existence. It is protecting the 300 workers inside it, the community around it, and the bay beneath it. The Longview workers did not die because someone demanded a safety inspection; they died because no one did. The economic argument for the mill's importance is exactly why its safety must be verified. A Longview-scale disaster at PTPC would end 300 jobs, devastate the bay economy, and destroy the community relationship with the mill permanently.

Q: Does the City of Port Townsend receive property tax from PTPC?

The mill is not in the City of Port Townsend, so the city gets zero property tax. PTPC sits on unincorporated Jefferson County land, outside city limits. The City of Port Townsend receives zero property tax from the mill. All property tax flows to Jefferson County, the state, school districts, and special districts. The city's entire financial relationship with the mill is through the water agreement, not through any direct tax revenue. For the exact breakdown of PTPC's taxes by recipient, contact the Jefferson County Assessor at 360-385-9105 or search trueweb.jeffcowa.us.

Mission

We want PTPC to make safety, health, and the environment their number one priority. Not their second priority. Not a consideration balanced against production schedules and profit margins. Number one.

Sources and Citations

All factual claims in this document are drawn from the following sources, verified during research for this document.

  1. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO): Live PTPC Facility Report, Facility Registry Service identifier 110000490326. echo.epa.gov/detailed-facility-report?fid=110000490326
  2. Washington State Department of Ecology: PTPC Facility Page. ecology.wa.gov/regulations-permits/permits-certifications/industrial-facilities-permits/port-townsend-paper
  3. Washington State Department of Ecology: September 2025 Penalty ($20,000). ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/news/2025/sept-18-port-townsend-paper-penalty
  4. Washington State Department of Ecology: December 2022 Penalty ($56,250). ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/news/2022/dec-14-port-townsend-paper-penalty
  5. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Health Consultation: PTPC. atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/port_townsend/index.html
  6. PTPC Company FAQ. ptpc.com/education/
  7. Water Supply Agreement, December 30, 2021. cityofpt.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/public_works/page/6251/water_supply_agreement_123021_final_executed_exhibits_usw_active01_505396662_1.pdf
  8. New-Indy $103 Million Settlement. newindyclassaction.com
  9. New-Indy United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Consent Decree and $1.1 Million Penalty. epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-settlement-agreement-new-indy-address-emissions-hydrogen-sulfide-catawba
  10. Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), 2025 United States Paper Mill Study. environmentalintegrity.org/news/pollution-from-the-u-s-paper-industry-is-vastly-under-reported-new-study-reveals/
  11. Atlas Holdings: Crown Paper Group Acquisition announcement. atlasholdingsllc.com/news/atlas-holdings-acquires-crown-paper-group/
  12. Peninsula Daily News: Mill Acquisition Reported Locally, October 14, 2022. peninsuladailynews.com/2022/10/14/port-townsend-paper-mill-parent-firm-purchased/
  13. Good Jobs First Violation Tracker: Atlas Holdings. violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/parent/atlas-holdings
  14. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Cases: nlrb.gov/case/19-CA-341576, nlrb.gov/case/19-CA-285952, and nlrb.gov/case/19-CB-297178.
  15. Port Townsend Leader: Mill Cites $319 Million Economic Impact. ptleader.com/articles/archives/mill-cites-319m-economic-impact/
  16. Peninsula Daily News: $342,000 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Act settlement (2019). peninsuladailynews.com/news/port-townsend-paper-corporation-settles-with-epa-for-violation-of-clean-air-act/
  17. Maine federal court order: Demmons v. ND Paper, September 12, 2023. govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-med-1_22-cv-00305/pdf/USCOURTS-med-1_22-cv-00305-0.pdf