The Mackenzie pulp mill may not survive the impending cold weather if its new owner, Worthington Properties, does not restart the mill's giant boiler.

The temperature is already dropped below zero at night and the plant equipment is icing up at night. One of the big concerns are all the chemicals that are stored in chemical ponds with plastic liners. That could lead to an environmental disaster.

"They can't just sit by and let this place freeze," said Rick Berry, former worker at the mill. "Think of all the chemicals we have stored here and they are going to be allowed to freeze solid? We could have an environmental disaster if the chlorine-dioxide tanks rupture. They would have to evacuate the town."

The British Columbia Ministry of the Environment are closely watching the condition of the mill. The mill manager was asked to provide the Ministry with a detailed plan how the new owner will prevent the mill from freezing.

The new owners had planned to restart the mill this fall, but with the global economic crisis, the lack of credit on a global scale, and the collapse of the pulp market, a spring restart of the mill is looking doubtful.

Read more:
Winter cold threatens idled Mackenzie pulp mill (The Vancouver Sun)