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OT: Bowater plant stinking up the Rock Hill area

OldWiseCock

Well-Known Member
Apr 3, 2019
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Columbia
@king ward, is this really as bad as the article in the paper makes it sound? You worked there most of your life didn't you? What I read made it sound like they are polluting the air and the water but are denying it. I lived around the International Paper mill when I lived in Georgetown. If the wind was blowing the right way it was pretty bad, but I learned to live with it. (For 8 years)

Anyone else from up around that way?
 
I’m from RH and getting ready to move back to that side of town. My parents have said that it’s been bad recently after not smelling it for years.

They change ownership so often now, so there is no telling. We are getting ready to see several paper mills change from pulp to cardboard for the likes of Amazon and others. This may have something to do with it.

p.s. I’ve worked in several paper mills all over. I actually like the smell.
 
Is it still called bowater? Used to be a good place to work for pension and benefits.
 
That place always smelled bad. I remember traveling that area in the 80s and it was awful then. I can’t imagine it is worse.
 
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I don't know the particulars or the chemistry, but they switched from making white paper to brown paper for cardboard boxes. The article seemed to say that made the Sulphur smell much worse.
 
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I’m from RH and getting ready to move back to that side of town. My parents have said that it’s been bad recently after not smelling it for years.

They change ownership so often now, so there is no telling. We are getting ready to see several paper mills change from pulp to cardboard for the likes of Amazon and others. This may have something to do with it.

p.s. I’ve worked in several paper mills all over. I actually like the smell.
The smell of money. Go Cocks
 
@king ward, is this really as bad as the article in the paper makes it sound? You worked there most of your life didn't you? What I read made it sound like they are polluting the air and the water but are denying it. I lived around the International Paper mill when I lived in Georgetown. If the wind was blowing the right way it was pretty bad, but I learned to live with it. (For 8 years)

Anyone else from up around that way?
The smell has never been an issue at my home. When I pass the plant while on my way to Rock Hill or in the Indian Land area, I really don't note any difference. What has changed is that many new homes have been built and occupied in that area over the past decade. I think the problem possibly has less to do with the strength of the smell than with the increasing number of people smelling it, but the lawyers are going to spin it differently. It's more profitable that way.
 
The smell has never been an issue at my home. When I pass the plant while on my way to Rock Hill or in the Indian Land area, I really don't note any difference. What has changed is that many new homes have been built and occupied in that area over the past decade. I think the problem possibly has less to do with the strength of the smell than with the increasing number of people smelling it, but the lawyers are going to spin it differently. It's more profitable that way.
As an LA native, Kingy hit the nail on the head!

Is there a "Bowater" odor?? Absolutely! Sometimes it can be a lil' intense! Thing is, I'm 54 years old, and it's been steadily the same for as long as I can remember.

The only difference now is the fact that the Indian Land area has exploded from a residential perspective, and 99% of these new neighborhoods are filled w/ folks from up North whom have never ever previously been around such.

The Indian Land/Ballantyne are now suburbs of Charlotte. Hence, the slightest odor issue is gonna become a major publicity issue.

JMHIFWIW,

Gaim
 
I live just west of there, Never smell it. I did meet a Lady, her Husband was brought in from Calif to address the smell, look for positive results soon..
 
Living in the country south of it, I could see the lights and sometimes hear the shift change. Smell was never an issue. I can tell when I’m getting close to Georgetown and which way the wind is blowing due to the paper mill on Belle Isle. As usual some people just want to complain.
 
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As I remember Bowater was the first foreign corporation allowed to own land in South Carolina, or at least a substantial amount of land. At the time (probably in the fifties or early sixties) the limit for foreign ownership was around 5 acres or so. Since Bowater wished to purchase and own its forest land the limit was raised to around 500,000 acres.
 
It used to be so bad when the wind was right it could be smelled way down 903 in a little hamlet named Flat Creek that's at least 45 miles away. It may be worse than in recent years, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was then. I wouldn't buy a house very close to it.
 
I’m from RH and getting ready to move back to that side of town. My parents have said that it’s been bad recently after not smelling it for years.

They change ownership so often now, so there is no telling. We are getting ready to see several paper mills change from pulp to cardboard for the likes of Amazon and others. This may have something to do with it.

p.s. I’ve worked in several paper mills all over. I actually like the smell.
My Dad worked for Westvaco for 35 years. Whenever we drove by the Papermill in N Charleston he always said it was the smell of money. I worked a couple of Summers down at the Chemical division of Westvaco and after a while you just get use to it.
 
My Dad worked for Westvaco for 35 years. Whenever we drove by the Papermill in N Charleston he always said it was the smell of money. I worked a couple of Summers down at the Chemical division of Westvaco and after a while you just get use to it.
My Dad grew up near that plant. When they first built the plant, the pollution coming out of the stacks was so bad that the residue was getting all over the cars in the area. Instead of cleaning up the discharge, they built a free carwash near the plant. Times have fortunately changed.
 
For many years I was a sales rep for a supplier to the papermill industry here in SC and yes, it smelled like money to me too. The industry has supplied 10's of thousands of jobs to South Carolinians and lord knows how many more outside of the paper industry. Just a quick, off the top of my head, list of mills and towns: Union Camp - Eastover, Stone Container - Florence, Sonoco - Hartsville, International Paper - Georgetown, Bowater - Catawba, Westvaco - N. Charleston and just outside of SC - Union Camp - Savannah. Stone Container - Savannah, Kimberly Clark - Beech Island, and Stone Container - Augusta. A lot of these companies have been bought out and names changed but the mills are still there. Hey, the world needs paper !
 
@king ward, is this really as bad as the article in the paper makes it sound? You worked there most of your life didn't you? What I read made it sound like they are polluting the air and the water but are denying it. I lived around the International Paper mill when I lived in Georgetown. If the wind was blowing the right way it was pretty bad, but I learned to live with it. (For 8 years)

Anyone else from up around that way?
rock hill as a whole now stinks. born there in 1952 and lived there for 56 years. not the same quiet town. too many freaking yankees and militant minorities. would never move back.
 
My Dad grew up near that plant. When they first built the plant, the pollution coming out of the stacks was so bad that the residue was getting all over the cars in the area. Instead of cleaning up the discharge, they built a free carwash near the plant. Times have fortunately changed.
Oh yeah. It was pretty bad before they put the scrubbers on. I use to wash my car every week when I worked Summers. My car would be covered with dried lignin (tree sap).
 
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