CROSSETT, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas health officials say the level of hydrogen sulfide gas near a Georgia-Pacific paper mill in southeastern Arkansas is below levels that determine if the air is safe to breathe but frequently above levels where the odor can be detected.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that air monitoring at the mill in Crossett, located 128 miles southeast of Little Rock, was conducted after it significantly reduced emissions of the compound that is common to paper mills. The Georgia-Pacific mill has reduced its emissions 42 percent since 2012.
Residents have expressed concern that the air around the mill was harmful to their health and property. Hydrogen sulfide can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, poor memory and balance problems, as well as breathing difficulties for people who have asthma.
