Canton mill earns two new water quality violations
Despite being closed for months, the Evergreen Packaging paper mill in Canton continues to rack up environmental violations, with two recently issued violations for exceeding fecal coliform limits bringing its total number of violation notices since May 2021 up to 22.
One violation, dated Feb. 2, was issued for exceeding the daily maximum fecal coliform limit on Oct. 4 and Oct. 10, 2023. The second, dated, Feb. 6, was for exceeding the same limit on Nov. 2, 2023
In all three cases, the mill reported a fecal coliform concentration that came in 50% over the state limit.
Fecal coliform is a group of bacteria that includes disease-causing species such as E.coli. While most coliform bacteria do not cause disease, some strains of E.coli cause serious illness. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, swimming, diving or wading in water contaminated with fecal bacteria can result in diarrhea, vomiting, respiratory illness and other health problems. Skin, ear, eye, sinus and wound infections can also be caused by contact with contaminated water.
Pactiv Evergreen has received this type of violation multiple times before. In October 2023, it received a violation for exceeding the fecal coliform limit on Aug. 30 of that year, and in Dec. 2022 it received a violation for exceeding the fecal coliform limit on April 5 of that year.
