"Federal and state regulators in North Carolina propose a fix to repair damage caused by more than 50 years of toxic pollution from a pulp mill."
"PLYMOUTH, N.C.—Fall had just arrived when a nor’easter began stewing in the Atlantic Ocean, its gale-force winds carrying the pungent smell of chlorine westward, away from downtown. Against the backdrop of dingy stratus clouds, the Domtar pulp mill loomed.
The plant occupies 2,400 acres at the confluence of Welch Creek and the Roanoke River, where logs are turned into absorbent materials used in diapers and other paper hygiene products. But those goods come at an environmental cost.
For 50 years, Domtar’s predecessor, Weyerhaeuser, discharged toxic dioxins, furans and mercury—byproducts of the bleaching process—into the Roanoke River. Scientists have found dioxins in river sediment, wood duck eggs and fish.
Federal and state regulators have now reached a tentative agreement with Domtar to restore and protect natural areas in the Roanoke River watershed. A federal court has issued a proposed consent decree and restoration plan to correct the damage that Weyerhaeuser caused."
Lisa Sorg reports for Inside Climate News October 1, 2026.
