listen to the podcast | Ohio's Shadow: Paper Mills, Pollution, and a Community's Potential Health Crisis?

For over two centuries, the Chillicothe paper mill, now operating as Pixelle Specialty Solutions, has cast a long shadow over its community, not just as an economic pillar but as a persistent source of environmental contamination. Despite numerous ownership changes, from Mead to Glatfelter and finally Pixelle, a disturbing pattern of pollution and regulatory non-compliance has plagued the site. The most recent and definitive proof of this enduring toxic legacy came on April 16, 2025, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) levied a $234,440 federal civil penalty against Pixelle Specialty Solutions for eleven distinct Clean Air Act violations. This significant fine, issued just two days before the company's abrupt announcement of the plant's closure, strongly suggests that the cumulative burden of environmental remediation and regulatory pressure ultimately rendered continued operation untenable.

The scale of pollution at the Chillicothe site is alarming, extending far beyond simple emissions. EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2020 alone reveals that over 893,000 pounds of toxic chemicals were released on-site or off-site, part of a staggering 8.9 million pounds of total waste managed by the facility. Among these releases are highly dangerous substances such as dioxins, which showed a 2500% exceedance over permitted limits in recent discharge monitoring reports, alongside neurotoxic heavy metals like Lead (1,000 lbs released) and Mercury. These pervasive pollutants, including chlorine, sulfur gases, benzene, and formaldehyde, have directly impacted the community, contributing to a reported cancer risk 453 times the legal limit for air pollution. Residents have endured chronic coughing, respiratory issues, skin/eye irritation, and the nuisance of noxious odors and property damage from airborne residues, leading to significant public outcry and multiple lawsuits against the mill.

Despite a history of corrective actions and investments by past owners, the consistent regulatory scrutiny and the sheer volume of violations paint a clear picture of systemic environmental failures. The Ohio EPA issued nine notices of violations in the last decade, with many remaining unresolved, while federal records detail consistent failures in critical areas such as Hazardous Air Pollutant treatment (with a Steam Stripper operating at merely 48-68% efficiency against a 92% requirement), uncontrolled emissions from leaky equipment, and widespread failures in monitoring and record-keeping. The Chillicothe paper mill's long operational history is therefore not just one of industrial production, but a sobering chronicle of persistent environmental contamination, regulatory defiance, and the enduring consequences borne by the surrounding community.

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS