Aqua Operations, Inc.

A tank containing 600,000 gallons of caustic “white liquor” recently exploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill in southwestern Washington, killing 11 people. The chemical is used to break down wood chips into a packaging board for products like juice cartons.

In 2025, EIP reported that the mill's boiler, installed in 1928, was the oldest of 185 large pulp and paper mills in the U.S. included in our analysis. Aging boilers often have worn components that can lower efficiency, increase pollution, and elevate the risk of mechanical failures and explosions.

While the exact cause of the deadly explosion remains under investigation, the incident underscores the need for industrial companies to modernize aging equipment and improve safety systems to help prevent future disasters.

NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/11-dead-longview-washington-chemical-explosion.html

Paper Trail of Pollution: https://environmentalintegrity.org/reports/paper-trail-of-pollution/

We shouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibility of solving the plastics crisis when the industry urgently needs to change. But we can still make lifestyle changes to reduce our exposure to harmful microplastics. No one wants micromonsters swimming in their stomach. Switch to a glass or metal reusable bottle if you haven’t already, and learn more tips at stopmicromonsters.org.

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