In a cold climate, even when a mill isn’t running, measures need to be taken to ensure the integrity of the e…
In a cold climate, even when a mill isn’t running, measures need to be taken to ensure the integrity of the equipment. Worthington Industries, the new owner of the Mackenzie pulp mill in BC knows this full well, and has pledged to keep the facility warm throughout the winter months so that its pipes and equipment don’t succumb to freezing cold temperatures, the Prince George Citizen reported.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworks Unions says keeping the mill warm is integral to ensuring the possibility of it reopening.
Worthington Industries bought up the facility, previously owned by Pope & Talbot, in September. While plans were underway to restart the mill in October, crippling downturns in demand for pulp threw a wrench into these plans. At this point, Worthington said it would shut the mill down. However, as the Prince George Citizen report confirmed, shutting the mill down ‘cold’ could create a risk of rupture that would leak chemicals, an issue that raised concern amongst the union and community.
“Until we find some way to remove the environmental threat that would result from freezing and rupturing, we have to keep the mill warm,” the Citizen reported mill manager Tim Boughner as saying.
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