Data claims toxins from New Indy plant near state line are seeping into Catawba River

CATAWBA, S.C. — Channel 9 is investigating claims that toxic chemicals are seeping into the Catawba River from the New Indy Containerboard plant near the state line known for producing a foul odor.

Brandon Jones, the Catawba Riverkeeper, told Channel 9 that he has been working for nearly two years with a law firm and collecting data from the major river.

The groundwater, which moves through the New Indy plant site, has been picking up contaminants and carrying them into the river, according to the data.

The contaminants are dioxins, which are a class of carcinogenic chemicals, data shows.

“Dioxins are a class of these persistent carcinogenic chemicals, so they’re used a lot in the paper-making process,” Jones said.

Jones said the chemical could impact wildlife and people.

“Anytime you have those carcinogens, you are obviously concerned about human health,” he said. “There is a drinking water intake nine miles downstream. However, given the amount it may not have an impact because it will be diluted by then. But this persistent chemical coming in is going to have an impact on the wildlife.”

Attorneys with Motley Rice Law Firm represent people living near the plant.

They sent a letter to the plant and South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control that threatens to file a lawsuit over the issue.

“The groundwater in, at, around, and in the vicinity of the Mill’s property has been tested recently by New-Indy’s consultants and found to contain dioxins and numerous other hazardous substances and constituents of concern,” the firm stated.

DHEC sent a statement that read, in part, “To date, DHEC has reviewed extensive data that shows no indication of the release of dioxins into the Catawba River ... We are in the process of beginning to review in detail this letter and recent report. All previous data and information do not suggest a potential risk of impact to drinking water sources.”

“This is one source that has now been identified that needs to stop,” Jones said.

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New Indy shared the following statement with Channel 9 in response:

“New-Indy Catawba denies the baseless accusations that were irresponsibly made in the October 26 report in The Charlotte Observer and The State newspapers that dioxin is seeping into the Catawba River from the mill property. This accusation was leveled by trial lawyers to gain leverage in ongoing litigation and is demonstrably false.

“Dioxin is a highly toxic chemical. Small amounts of the compound were left on the property by a previous owner of the facility, a byproduct of the bleaching process used by the Bowater mill (and many other mills throughout the U.S.) to make white paper. That practice was discontinued nearly 20 years ago. At no point since New-Indy acquired the mil on Dec. 31, 2018, has the facility produced dioxin.

“New-Indy Catawba has spent considerable time and effort to identify the areas on the mill property where the compound is located and to confirm that it is not migrating from the property, including through groundwater. New-Indy Catawba maintains 15 wells throughout the mill property so that it can carefully monitor dioxin levels. The mill regularly reports the results from those monitoring wells to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

“The most recent report was prepared for New-Indy in June 2022 by S&ME., Inc., a South Carolina-based environmental engineering firm. That report clearly shows that no hazardous level of dioxin was detected in any of the monitoring wells. In fact, the monitoring well with the highest concentration contained 1/15th the amount of dioxin that South Carolina permits in drinking water.

“The aerial photograph of the New-Indy Catawba property (attached) shows the 15 monitoring well locations on site. The only well to detect a nominal amount of dioxin was R-29-MW-1, which is located more than a half-mile from the Catawba River.”

>> Click for the Groundwater Monitoring Report referenced in New Indy’s statement, and here for the aerial photo.

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