COVINGTON, Va. (From news reports) - The Environmental Integrity Project, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the effective enforcement of environmental laws, recently released a report about paper mill pollution.

Covington's paper mill was listed as one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

According to the report, the Smurfit Westrock Paper Mill in Covington ranks as one of the top paper mill polluters in the nation. The nonprofit said the plant tops the list of large paper mills in a few categories - like releasing the most nitrogen oxide and methane in 2023.

"It largely comes from the plant's onsite landfills, where they dispose of waste, and then that waste degrades over time and creates methane; the greenhouse gasses at the plant largely come from burning fossil fuels and wood waste," said Environmental Integrity Project Director of Research Courtney Bernhardt.

She said the mill's boilers are outdated and the company should look to replace them with units that burn cleaner fuels to limit the emissions of greenhouse gases.

"Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change and contribute to weather events that we're already experiencing, like more intense rainfall, hotter summers, and, you know, even far-off forest fires," added Bernhardt.

Melissa Carter has lived in Covington for 14 years and encounters the rotting egg smell that comes from these gases. She worries about the community and those who have worked at the plant.

"I just feel like we have this underlying issue that's not getting better; it's only getting worse. And it's just sad, because, like I had said previously, the mill employs three fourths of the community," Carter said.

In response to the report, Smurfit Westrock sent a statement saying:

"Contrary to the statements in the report, the United States Environmental Protection Agency's mandatory greenhouse gas reporting rules require U.S. paper mills to submit total tons of biogenic and fossil fuel CO2 emissions to the agency. These reports are publicly available on USEPA's website, and accurately depict emissions measured at the Covington mill."