South Carolina Paper Mill Has Highest Mercury Emissions in U.S.

The Environmental Integrity Project reports that the New Indy, South Carolina paper mill has not only generated nearly 50,000 complaints from residents for its pungent odor, but also has the highest airborne mercury emissions of any large paper mill in the United States. The mill emitted 41 pounds of mercury and 42,116 pounds of zinc into the air in 2023, which can lead to neurological damage from long-term exposure. The report also reveals that the U.S. paper industry is exploiting a loophole in federal law by failing to report greenhouse gas emissions, which may be underestimated by a factor of nearly three.