Toxic chemicals contained by shuttering Chillicothe Pixelle plant could infect air and groundwater

Chillicothe’s Pixelle paper mill, which is set to close in August, has a secondary function: it helps contain a toxic plume of cancer-causing chemicals underground that were spilled by a former cookware manufacturer decades ago.

Ohio EPA records from 2022 indicated that if the paper plant closed, it would be a “worst case scenario.” Chillicothe and state officials say there’s no immediate threat to residents from the contaminants and efforts are being made to improve monitoring.

A toxic underground plume of soil and groundwater has tested positive for extremely high levels of trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride for decades. The last report from the Ohio EPA released this month showed TCE levels at 15 times the “maximum contaminant level” for TCE and 100 times for the max for vinyl chloride.

The Ohio EPA has been monitoring the well for decades since before the nearby WearEver alumninum cookware manufacturing plant closed in the 1990s. Pixelle, alongside WearEver’s current owner, HowMet Aerospace, have worked together to operate wells that contain the contaminants.

Toxic chemicals contained by shuttering Chillicothe Pixelle plant could infect air and groundwater | WOSU Public Media