What do you think the health hazards are living near a paper mill?

Question

I live within 8 miles of one that makes cardboard and when I drive thru town a white dust falls on my vehicle/windsheild and the stence is terrible.

a couple of years ago the mill spent millions to stop the dust and smell, but they wasted the money cause its still the same.

Answer 1

Hey Bro,

www.epa.gov/tri

TRI is the Toxics Release Inventory that plants are requires to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency on July 1 every year. If you look at the report for that company, it will tell you exactly what they are emitting.

After you find out the chemicals the paper mill is spitting out, go to www.osha.gov. While this site is meant for workers to know what hazards they are exposed to, it can be used by citizens also.

Or you can use www.spectrumchemicals.com. Click on "Support" on the left side, and click "MSDS." An MSDS is a Material Safety Data Sheet which will tell you the chronic, or long term, effects of chemical exposure.

Finally, call your State Environmental Department and COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN!

Answer 2

I think a potential hazard could be cancer, but I can not prove it. I know some people who live near a paper that was shut down a few years ago. Several people living very close, less than a mile, got cancer. I suspect the paper mill was closed down for environmental reasons because the paper mill went on a buying spree trying buy all the land very close to the mill. The paper mill did manage to buy enough land to close one of the roads nearest to the mill.
I know one piece of land within a few hundred yards has tainted soil. The owner refused to sell the land because it was Church property. Of course, I can't say for sure how long the people lived by the paper mill before any EPA regulations came into effect.

Answer 3

I grew up in a paper mill town. At times the pollution was so bad that we had to take laundry off the line and rinse it again. People used to complain that the mill dust ruined the paint on their cars. Of course new air pollution laws have taken effect since then and things are much better. I don't seem to have any lasting health concerns. It still smells like rotten cabbage but as my uncle always said, "In this town, thats the smell of money."

Answer 4

I would move as far away as soon as possible. Factories emit wastes, no matter what they or their studies say. Have you ever seen the movie "Erin Brockervich" w/Julia Roberts? That's A true story. The largest cash litigation in the history of the US from PPG (california Electric Co.)

Answer 5

Many toxic chemicals are used in the production of paper, including mercury and PCBs. They get into the air via smoke-stack emissions, and into the water via intentional dumping or non-intentional leaks.

Answer 6

none they stink but thats about it