Home / Disasters and Accidents / Paper Mill's 'White Liquor' Unleashes Toxic Disaster
Paper Mill's 'White Liquor' Unleashes Toxic Disaster
30 May
Summary
- Eleven people died in a chemical tank implosion at a paper mill.
- The substance involved, 'white liquor', is highly caustic, similar to drain cleaner.
- Over 570,000 gallons of the chemical spilled, enough to fill an Olympic pool.
Washington state experienced its deadliest industrial tragedy in modern history following a chemical tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. paper mill in Longview. The incident, which occurred on the morning of May 26, resulted in the deaths of eleven people. Recovery efforts are ongoing for three individuals whose bodies have yet to be found amidst the toxic and dangerous scene.
The substance at the heart of the disaster is identified as 'white liquor,' a highly caustic chemical mixture integral to the paper-making process. This solution is used to break down wood chips into pulp for products like paper bags and plates. With a pH between 13 and 14, it is comparable in strength to industrial drain cleaner.
White liquor is composed primarily of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. Even a small amount can cause severe second and third-degree burns by dissolving fats and proteins in living tissue. The rupture of the tank led to an immense spill of approximately 570,000 gallons of this dangerous chemical, an amount equivalent to a full Olympic swimming pool.
