CATAWBA, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – New Indy is calling out claims of an online petition circulating, that they say is bearing false claims of the company releasing toxins into the environment and into the Catawba River.
New-Indy says the online petitions, “allegations are untrue and publishing them is irresponsible. New-Indy operates in accordance with all applicable state and federal
laws, regulations, permits and orders. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has issued several statements to refute the allegations that dioxins are migrating from New-Indy Catawba property into or near the Catawba River.”
See below for full statement from New-Indy –
New-Indy personnel were recently informed that a petition has been posted online in which the false claim was made that New-Indy Catawba (NIC) is releasing toxins into the environment, including the Catawba River. These allegations are untrue and publishing them is irresponsible. New-Indy operates in accordance with all applicable state and federal
laws, regulations, permits and orders. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has issued several statements to refute the allegations that dioxins are migrating from New-Indy Catawba property into or near the Catawba River.
Excerpt of DHEC’s statement on dioxin at New-Indy Catawba:
“To date, DHEC has reviewed extensive data that shows no indication of the release of dioxins into the Catawba River.
Dioxins have a very low water solubility and a low volatility, so they tend to settle and cling to sediment.
• Dioxin has been detected in soil samples taken from sludge in the wastewater basins onsite and not in samples
taken elsewhere onsite.
• Dioxin has been detected at very low concentrations in groundwater at some onsite monitoring wells, but the
levels detected are well below maximum contaminant levels for drinking water. There is no evidence of
contamination leaving the property in groundwater.”
Read the full statement here.
In addition, DHEC conducted water quality sampling in conjunction with the Catawba Riverkeeper that indicated: “Water quality sampling upstream and downstream of the New Indy discharge does not show any indication that the discharge has had any impact to water quality in the Catawba River watershed.”
Read the full study here.
New-Indy Catawba has made numerous upgrades and improvements to its facility since acquiring it in 2018, which the EPA and DHEC have endorsed or requested. The upgrades and improvements have worked as anticipated. Emissions of hydrogen sulfide from the New-Indy Catawba facility have been negligible or zero for more than a year.
Excerpt from the EPA consent decree: “Since the time of the Order, emissions of H2S from NIC have fallen dramatically, and are consistently far below the 600 and 70 ppb levels. NIC’s own website reports the emissions daily. Levels tend to be far below 10 ppb, and often are zero to one ppb.”
Excerpt from the DHEC consent order:
“Based on the available data and evidence, the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations at New Indy’s and DHEC’s air monitors have significantly declined due to improvements being made by New Indy.” With respect to the Petition’s reference to regulatory consent orders requiring “an adequate primary stripper”, as the DHEC consent order notes, New-Indy “restart[ed] its existing steam stripper as an additional method of treating foul
condensate” and will be installing a new stripper to supplement the current system to treat all foul condensates effectively and reliably.
The petition indicated that New-Indy’s hard pipe for the untreated foul condensate in the ASB is in the incorrect location. That statement is untrue. The hard pipe is located below the surface as required by all applicable laws, regulations and permits. The original construction permit allowed the pipe to be installed in the Equalization Stabilization Basin and was moved to the Aeration Stabilization Basin (ASB) during the mill conversion in 2020. The hard pipe was permitted properly and installed well below the water’s surface at the ASB inlet to allow for proper wastewater retention time
