Paper Mill Accused Of Polluting River

Environmental volunteers along the Altamaha River in Georgia say the water is being polluted by a surprising culprit: a recycling plant.

James Holland, a member of the Altamaha Riverkeeper, says SP Newsprint is churning out trash and possibly even fecal matter into the river, which flows from north Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean near Darien.

Downstream from the newspaper recycler's plant, Holland pointed out a yellow tint with some foam bubbling up in the middle of the river.

Holland took a large net and dragged it through the water around the bubbling spot. Up came several pieces of material that looked like a type of thin black plastic. The location also had a faint smell. The plastic-type debris could be found floating in the river at least 300 yards below the pipe.

A 60-day notice of intent to file suit was sent to SP Newsprint for an alleged violation of the Clean Water Act. The suit notice alleges in addition to the visible pieces of plastic and paper that a solid material that appeared to be fecal matter is also being released into the river.

SP Newsprint officials told The Courier Herald in Dublin, Ga., that they have never tried to deny that some of the material in the recycling process gets into the river from the discharge pipe.

However, they said they've committed to spending about $20 million on equipment that would reduce the problem.

Pete Labella, vice president of Human Resources with SP Newsprint, said they are working to protect the environment.

"You know we're in the recycling business. We recycle old newspapers ... we purchase over a million tons of old newspapers on an annual basis. So you know, were certainly interested in recycling, interested in the environment," he said.

Labella added, "We feel like were gonna be here a long time so we are interested in the river as anyone else."

The environmentalists are afraid the company is more interested in talk than a real change, though. Holland said he's frustrated because he thinks SP Newsprint is reducing river discharged now just because the public is paying attention.

"That's what burns me up. They can start and shut it off at any time they please," he said.

SP Newsprint said it monitors to make sure too much plastic doesn't find its way to the Altamaha. The plastic comes from the wrappers put on newspapers to protect them from rain by paper carriers, and plastic bags used to collect the bags in for recycling.

"We don't have any reason to deny it," said Jack Carter, SP Newsprint Dublin plant manager. "We acknowledge that it is something were always working on, but its something that we and the EPD are well aware of and feel we are in compliance with." Associated Press