NorskeCanada’s Powell River Division was forced to shutdown Friday March 14, 2003 after a chemical imbalance in the…
NorskeCanada’s Powell River Division was forced to shutdown Friday March 14, 2003 after a chemical imbalance in the mill’s effluent treatment plant exceeded permit levels.
There were no harmful emissions to the environment but the imbalance caused the microbiotic organisms that feed on the mill’s effluent to become dormant. This allowed pH levels to rise above acceptable levels. The company immediately shut down operations until the system could be restored and notified the appropriate authorities.
The situation has now stabilized and the mill resumed partial operations Monday, and was back to full operations Tuesday. It’s estimated the temporary shutdown impacted approximately 5,600 tonnes of paper production.
The chemical imbalance resulted during the installation of a caustic injection system to reduce odour from the division’s primary clarifier. Sodium hydroxide inadvertently entered the clarifier and effluent treatment system, raising the pH levels and upsetting the microbiotic organisms that live there.
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