Columbia River contaminated by Longview mill chemical implosion, officials say

Contamination entered the Columbia River on Tuesday after an implosion at a Longview pulp and paper mill that morning, Chief Scott Goldstein of Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue said Wednesday afternoon at a news conference.

It is unclear how much contamination there was or what effect it will have.

The 900,000-gallon tank at the mill released white liquor into the storm drain system, which connects to a diking system, said state Department of Ecology spokesperson Anna Izenman. The diking system's pumps, which discharge to the Columbia River, were shut off.

Officials now say there are only 25,000 gallons of "product" left. They estimated there were about 90,000 gallons left in the ruptured tank Tuesday evening, but adjusted the figure at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

White liquor is a mix of heavily caustic chemical compounds that, when heated, breaks down wood so pulp can be extracted.

White liquor "would burn your skin, basically second- to third-degree burns, when you come in contact with it," said Matt Amos of the Longview Fire Department at the Tuesday evening news conference.

A dozen carp died in the dikes, Gov. Bob Ferguson said at the Wednesday afternoon news conference.

No negative health effects to air quality or drinking water have been identified in the surrounding area, Goldstein said.

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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 4:50 PM.