New Indy Containerboard Plant Cited for Serious Violations

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The New Indy Containerboard Plant in York County has been fined by South Carolina regulators for wastewater violations which occurred in 2021. According to the consent order published by the authorities Thursday afternoon, the paper mill has to pay a fine of $129,360. It must be noted that the U.S. Environmental Agency had earlier fined the facility a sum of $1.1 million on charges of illegal emissions.

The state regulator has ordered the plant to take appropriate steps in the forthcoming months to ensure that such wastewater violations are not repeated in future. The plant will now be subject to monthly inspections. Furthermore, it has instructed the plant to install a new stripper so as to minimize future orders.

Earlier in January this year, Tony Hobson, Plant Manager at New Indy Containerboard Plant had admitted that it had produced excess quantities of hydrogen sulphide emissions during the period from September 2020 to February 2021 during a switch in manufacturing from beached paper to brown containerboard. Also, he had blamed Resolute Forest Products, the plant’s previous owner, for poor maintenance of the plant's wastewater treatment system, which in turn led to the elevated emission level.

The consent order gives the mill time until June 30, 2023 to clear “legacy sludge” from the equalization basin.

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