The process of paper making involves several chemicals that can cause serious injuries if a person is exposed to them.
LONGVIEW, Wash. — White liquor, a superheated chemical mixture used to break down wood into paper pulp, is at the center of the deadly tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave paper mill in Longview.
The facility employs a common process for making paper known as kraft milling. In kraft milling, wood chips are processed under high pressure and heat (anywhere from 300 to 330 degrees Fahrenheit) while being exposed to extremely caustic chemicals that cause the wood to break down into pulp.
White liquor is one of the three main chemical solutions used in this paper-making process. It’s a highly alkaline solution, similar to bleach, that will cause severe chemical burns if it comes into contact with skin. Unlike acid, which directly breaks the bonds between molecules, alkaline solutions alter the molecules in organic materials to make them dissolve in water.
This chemical compound is mostly made of lye and a chemical known as sodium sulfate. Both of these chemicals are also found in things like drain cleaner, bleach and soap — although in far lower concentrations.
White liquor is arguably the strongest and most important substance in kraft milling. It’s the first compound that the wood is exposed to, and it quickly breaks down the wood chips into a thick pulp. Almost half of the wood completely dissolves into the liquid.
Ultimately this compound is extremely dangerous. The chemical solution is so hot and caustic that it will almost immediately cause second and third-degree burns upon contact with skin. Vapors released by white liquor are also flammable, and can cause damage to the eyes, lungs and throat if inhaled.
The chemical poses significant health and environmental safety risks. Officials confirmed that the people who were killed in the incident will need to undergo decontamination procedures before they can be identified by the medical examiner.
This is not the first time emergency crews have responded to the property. Last year, a large industrial fire broke out at a warehouse for Patriot Rail’s Columbia & Cowlitz Railway, which sits on Nippon’s property. In 2023, a fire at a wood chip manufacturing plant on the site sent a large plume of smoke over the surrounding area.
Officials are still working to determine why the tank at the Nippon Dynawave facility imploded. The tank remains unstable, creating hazardous conditions and hindering recovery efforts.
Crews plan to stabilize the tank Wednesday and continue to search for and recover the nine people who are missing.
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