Washington senator to propose state tank-safety law after Nippon mill deaths

Washington state senator Jeff Wilson plans to introduce legislation in the January 2027 session creating state oversight of above-ground chemical storage tanks at paper mills, following the fatal May 2026 tank collapse at Nippon Dynawave Packaging's Longview plant that killed 11 workers. A Chemical Safety Board report found a contractor had warned Nippon three times since October 2025 that the tank was unfit for continued service. The bill would let a state agency inspect and certify tanks, with daily fines of up to USD 5,000 for non-compliant operators.

Why this mattersNew state tank-safety oversight would raise compliance costs and inspection burdens for pulp and paper mills operating in Washington.

• State Sen. Jeff Wilson will introduce a bill in the January 2027 legislative session to regulate above-ground chemical tanks at paper mills.
• The proposal follows the 26 May 2026 collapse of a tank at Nippon Dynawave Packaging's Longview, Washington mill, which killed 11 workers and injured eight others.
• A Chemical Safety Board report from August 2026 found a contractor had warned Nippon three times since October 2025 that the tank was not fit for continued service.
• Above-ground chemical tanks at Washington paper mills are currently unregulated by state agencies and rely on company self-inspection.
• The bill would let a state agency such as the Department of Ecology inspect and certify tanks, with daily fines of up to USD 5,000 for non-compliant companies.

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