Comments on: IP Explosion: Tuesday’s Latest On What Happened, The Cleanup

By: William2

William2 — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 22:43:11 +0000

I have some property off Quintet road near Frank Ard road, any fallout in that area that anybody knows of?

By: Paper Mill Engineer

Paper Mill Engineer — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 20:15:45 +0000

To those of you worried about your health and what your family has physically suffered from this brief encounter with weak black liquor…relax! You will be okay! There is a big difference between the weak black liquor from a digester and heavy black liquor from an evaporator, it all depends on the concentration of the chemical. I work around these chemicals every day and some of my co workers have been doing it for 40+ years. If the black liquor comes in contact with your skin, wash with soap and water you will be fine. If the black liquor is in your yard, in your pool or on your vehicles that is very unfortunate but I guarantee any vapor is well below the exposure limits that can be harmful. I can’t imagine what the employees of this mill are going through, it is a very sad situation.

By: Calvin qualls

Calvin qualls — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 13:08:06 +0000

About a week ago people were concerned about that noise that that sounded like a pop off valve i can here it late at nite they even had it on north escambia where somebody recorded it on there phone or whatever then they had it described how it sounded at the mill well i haven’t heard that noise since does that have anything to do with that explosion? ??

By: Matchbox

Matchbox — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 05:45:09 +0000

Ty Mary…all these people whining about their house and pool…what about the employees with no job until this is taking care of….think about that

By: mary

mary — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 00:03:01 +0000

Can we all just be thankful no one was killed in this explosion? Thankful there is a company in Cantonment that can pay 400ish people a decent wage? Your cars, pools,yards will be ok. YOU are ok. My husband worked out there over 40 years, came home covered in lime, covered in black liquor, he has no health issues attributed to his work atmosphere. We lived in the Harvesters Village, our children and I are healthy also. Please don’t overdramatize the situation…it’s LIFE, suck it up.

By: patti

patti — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 22:58:36 +0000

I have worked at a papermill here in Charleston bout 12 years now but I’m not sure what caused it but u fill a regular digester with like 10,000gal of white liquor and close to 8000 of black so more likely it was a combination so please be caredful with cleaning up

By: Wrangler

Wrangler — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 20:51:29 +0000

Kraft black liquor is a mixture of wood pulping products, caustic and sulfer compounds with concentrations of each depending on the stage of digestion and the mills particular pulping chemistry. Usually it washes off easily with water but, the caustic can cause chemical burns. VInegar has been used to neutralize the effects of the caustic but, only an experienced chemist could figure out the concentration. One could imagine what problems the contamination to soil and plants will cause with the surrounding wildlife and agriculture. It could raise the pH of surrounding ground water high enough to remove oil from waterfowl feathers and interfere with wetlands.

By: Joan F

Joan F — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 20:37:38 +0000

Visit Woodbury Cir. See the cleanup crew in white suits..basically a hazmat suit. The residents are being offered a hotel, but the are is deemed safe? Something isn’t adding up.

By: Mike ( old paperworker)

Mike ( old paperworker) — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 20:29:35 +0000

black liquor contains;
sodium carbonate
sodium hydroxide
sodium sulfate
sodium sulfide
degraded hemicellulose ,and cellulose
degraded lignin
hydrogen sulfide
methyl mercaptan
dimethyl sulfide
dimethyl disulfide
NOTE: the concentration has a direct influence on effects.
sodium hydroxide is one of the most toxic/dangerous ingredients, and effects can include mild irritation to severe tissue damage, and death.
methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide can cause similar problems, and also chemical pneumonia.

This is all available on Weyerhauser’s MSDS form for black liquor. ( Weyerhauser manufactures black liquor.)

By: Charlie Dillard

Charlie Dillard — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 20:01:12 +0000

William

Thanks for all the news Sunday night. You had it first and had the first pictures.
North Escambia is always good and so is your Facebook.
Thanks for school and church news alone with all the rest.
Keep up the good work William.
Charlie Dillard