Georgia-Pacific: Clean up and reduce pollution | The Georgia-
Pacific Resins Facility on the Southside of Columbus releases
hazardous air pollution that can cause cancer, neurological,
respiratory, and reproductive harm. The most dangerous chemicals
are formaldehyde (a cancer-causing agent), methanol, and phenol.
Exposure to these chemicals - even at low concentrations - for
long periods of time can cause illness. Georgia Pacific uses a
pit (‘bio-pond’) behind the plant to treat wastewater generated
at the facility. The wastewater is highly toxic and has to be
pre-treated before it can be released to the city’s sewer
system. The pit is large – 275 feet long and 125 feet wide – and
represents an obsolete method of treating wastewater. Large
quantities of hazardous chemicals are discharged into the pit
including 1,000,000 pounds of formaldehyde, 470,000 pounds of
methanol, and 350,000 pounds of phenol (2004 TRI). This is
almost triple the amount of chemicals released into the pit in
2000. Georgia Pacific claims