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Cautious approach: IDEM looking to International Paper for possible violations

by Suzanne Risley - Terre Haute Tribune-Star

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is investigating International Paper for possible water and land quality violations, stemming from a spill in January.

International Paper's paper mill on West Voorhees Street in Terre Haute dumped 28,700 gallons of "black liquor" into the Wabash River on Jan. 11, according to an IDEM report. "Black liquor" is a common name for sodium carbonate, a cooking chemical used to break down wood chips in the paper-making process.

Sodium carbonate is not toxic and not a hazardous waste, said Terry Nishimoto, environmental health and safety manager for International Paper. The accidental release has not harmed any aquatic life, he added.

Though it is not a hazardous waste, sodium carbonate may still have had an adverse effect on the Wabash River, which is why there is an ongoing investigation, said IDEM spokesperson Russ Grunden. He said he did not know how long the investigation would take.

The paper company is already under fire for air-pollution violations from late 1998 and early 1999. Vigo County Air Pollution Control issued the violations because the company's device that monitors air emissions was off line for about 65 days.

The county fined International Paper $15,000, said George Needham, director of Vigo County Air Pollution Control. International Paper only wanted to pay $5,000, which was unacceptable, he said.

In accordance with an agreement with the state, Vigo County had to administer a minimum fine of $15,000, Needham said.

When International Paper refused to pay it, the county referred the violations to IDEM for review of the case.

Nishimoto confirmed International Paper was unable to come to an agreement with the county. He said the company has been in contact with the state, but no agreement has been reached.

According to an incident report filed by IDEM, International Paper workers spotted a leaking pipeline at 9:05 a.m. on Jan. 11.

Company officials shut off the pump feeding the pipe at 9:40 a.m. and reported the incident.

No liquid recovery from the river was reportedly possible.

"We take our environmental commitment very seriously," Nishimoto said, adding that International Paper monitors its pipelines closely so that accidental spills can be stopped as soon as possible.

An IDEM Emergency Response Section team went to the scene to assess the damage. While there, the team questioned International Paper on its land application process for black liquor.

Because it is not a hazardous waste, sodium carbonate can be left, or applied, on land. Once absorbed by the ground, it acts as a nutrient, Grunden said.

Upon inspection of the fields, the team observed the equipment used in the land application was not regularly maintained or inspected, the report states.

Valves were bent or broken and the irrigation discharge pipes had no sprinkler nozzles on them, prompting IDEM to refer the incident to its solid waste division for further investigation, according to the report.

Nishimoto said the field equipment had been vandalized. The pipeline that was leaking has been shut down and is undergoing repairs, he said.

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-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 16, 2000