Washington State to Seek Cleanup Cost Reimbursement From Nippon Dynawave After Longview Mill Disaster

The Washington State Department of Ecology plans to require Nippon Dynawave Packaging to reimburse the state for expenses incurred in responding to the catastrophic white liquor tank failure at the company's Longview paper mill on May 26, which claimed 11 lives and injured eight others.

A department spokesperson said the agency will issue an Order for Reimbursement covering all necessary state response costs related to the incident. Under Washington law, companies responsible for hazardous substance spills can be required to repay state expenses associated with emergency response, assessment and investigation. Eligible costs include staff wages, travel, laboratory analysis, equipment and materials.

The Department of Ecology said it is still calculating the total cost of the cleanup and does not expect to have an estimate for at least another one to two months. Once an invoice is issued, Nippon Dynawave will have 30 days to either pay the amount or apply for relief under state procedures.

The tank failure released white liquor, a highly caustic chemical used in the kraft pulping process, prompting a multi-agency emergency response and ongoing environmental monitoring. State and federal authorities continue to investigate the cause of the incident, while the Department of Ecology has also announced reviews of two additional kraft pulp and paper mills following the Longview disaster.

Records indicate that two regulatory investigations involving the Longview facility were already open at the time of the accident. Nippon Dynawave did not respond to a request for comment regarding the reimbursement order.