WASHINGTON (From news reports) -- On Monday, Aug. 3, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the Washington State Department of Ecology, began a time-critical chemical removal action at the dormant Cosmo Specialty Fibers pulp mill in Cosmopolis, the EPA announced.

The announcement states that for the past two years, the EPA and Department of Ecology have worked closely to assess conditions at the non-operational facility and identify actions needed to reduce potential risks to the community and the environment. More than 750,000 gallons of waste chemicals remain at the site, and the facility has accumulated more than $2 million in environmental fines.

In April 2026, the Department of Ecology requested EPA assistance with the removal of the remaining chemicals in tanks and containers.

According to the Department of Ecology's website, "Ecology requested that EPA take this action. We believe that the deteriorating conditions at the mill and the lack of staff to maintain equipment mean that the chemicals remaining at the site pose an unacceptable threat to the community of Cosmopolis and the environment of Grays Harbor. Ecology will support the response by removing oils and other dangerous wastes stored at the site. Ecology will also work with responsible parties to ensure the long-term cleanup of any contamination at the mill site. EPA's time-critical removal action at Cosmo is expected to continue through the end of 2026."

Weyerhaeuser operated the mill until September 2006, when production shut down. The company mothballed the facility the following year in preparation of selling the mill. In May 2011 the mill resumed operation as Cosmo Specialty Fibers, owned by Gores Group, LLC. The pulp mill had been in intermittent operation since 2011 and shut down in December 2022.

U.K.-based Charlestown Investments and Richard Bassett acquired Cosmo Specialty Fibers in early 2023 with the intent of restarting the mill. According to Bassett, the pulp mill's output is used in 300 end products such as screen coatings for smart phones, aspirin, toothpaste, paint and nail polish components, textiles, and other items used in daily life. Ecology's website says that in the past, with "around 200 employees, the mill makes about 550 tons of dissolving pulp (acetate, viscose, and ether grades) each day. It treats its wastewater, and sends it to Grays Harbor and the Chehalis River."

Last summer, Ecology announced $2.3 million in fines against Cosmo Specialty Fibers for alleged lack of action on leaking hazardous chemicals and said that storage tanks, treatment systems and environmental equipment continue to steadily deteriorate, leading to dangerous conditions and mounting threats to nearby neighborhoods, the Chehalis River and Grays Harbor.

In August of last year, Ecology negotiated an agreed order with each of the "potentially liable parties," Cosmo Specialty Fibers and Weyerhaeuser. The agreed orders require Cosmo and Weyerhaeuser to conduct a remedial investigation/feasibility study and draft a cleanup action plan.

The agreed order between Ecology and Cosmo states, "This Order requires Cosmo to begin the investigation and cleanup process for the Site per the Model Toxics Control Act," while the agreed order between Ecology and Weyerhaeuser states, "This Order requires Weyerhaeuser to begin the investigation and cleanup process for the Site per the Model Toxics Control Act. ... No change in ownership or corporate status shall alter Weyerhaeuser's responsibility under this Order."