Washington issues water violation for Port Townsend paper mill; second worker speaks out

By Conrad Swanson
The Seattle Times
October 16, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

PORT TOWNSAND, Washington — The Port Townsend Paper Company violated its clean-water permit twice last November when it spilled untreated wastewater into Puget Sound, according to Washington’s Department of Ecology. This notice of violation, issued to the mill Wednesday, arrives several days after an investigation detailed photos and video from a former employee who claims one of those spills was far larger than company officials reported. A second ex-worker also came forward this week, adding his own account of the spill. Now state regulators will start considering financial penalties or ordering more direct corrective action from the facility. …However, precisely how much of that sludge actually poured from the pulp and paper mill directly into Port Townsend Bay on Nov. 20 remains unclear. Company officials maintain the spill was relatively minor, while the former worker who presented the evidence says it was far worse. [to access the full story a Seattle Times subscription is required]

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