State investigates Longview papermill as possible source of September’s mysterious odor

The mysterious odor people reported from Kelso to Portland last month may be tied to Longview’s WestRock mill, according to a spokesperson from the Washington Department of Ecology.

Brittny Goodsell, communications manager for the Southwest Region Office for the Washington State Department of Ecology, said the department is investigating WestRock’s air quality data, which could be tied to the September odor complaints.

As of now, she confirmed there is no confirmation WestRock violated its air quality permit, which she said requires organizations to minimize its operations’ odors if nearby people are affected.

Robby Johnson, spokesperson for WestRock, told the Daily News that the Smurfit Westrock site “fully cooperated with the Washington Department of Ecology’s investigation of odor complaints, “and that they’ve completed their own internal review into the situation.

Johnson also stated, via email, that Smurfit Westrock “can confirm that no air permit violations occurred at the facility on September 24, 2024, and there is no indication the Longview paper mill was the source of odors cited in complaints.”

Victor Leatzow, Fire Chief for Cowlitz County Fire District Five, told the Daily News that WestRock was one of the companies they spoke to and that WestRock told them “At the time they had no releases.”

The Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management reported Cowlitz County 911 started receiving complaints about the smell at about 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 24, while reports of the odor came from as far south as Portland throughout the evening.

People described the smell as similar to burning rubber, garbage, ammonia or natural gas, with some saying it caused symptoms such as itchy eyes, headaches and sore throats.

However, PeaceHealth spokesperson Debra Carnes said no patients were admitted during that time due to the odor.

Also at that time, Cowlitz County Fire District 5 and the Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management reported they questioned companies, such as Longview’s Nippon Dynawave and Kalama’s LanXess, about the origin of the smell.

The Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted tests in the Longview area two days after the odor was first reported but found nothing abnormal.

Despite reports of negative reactions, Goodsell previously said the smell has not been deemed as dangerous.

She added that when people smell dangerous odors like the chemicals added to natural gas to alert them of a possible spill, the exposure isn’t immediately hazardous.