A Longview pulp mill where 11 workers died after a chemical tank collapsed in May had a history of safety complaints, poor maintenance and discharges of toxic chemicals, records reviewed by The Associated Press show. …The AP reviewed government records involving inspections and safety complaints at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant in Longview. Before the accident, the state Department of Ecology had issued 54 environmental violation notices against the company since 2016 and fined it $41,500 for eight serious violations. The state Department of Labor and Industries investigated more than a dozen safety complaints at the plant since 2018 and issued almost $7,000 in fines for violations. Its investigation into the tank collapse is ongoing, and it has opened two new investigations since May. …The multiple equipment failures and safety violations are a “red flag” for this company, said Stephen Kmiotek, a chemical engineering professor at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. [to access the full story a Seattle Times subscription is required]