CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Cleanup work is continuing inside the former Chillicothe paper mill as hazardous and EPA-regulated materials are removed from the facility by its previous owner.
According to a letter dated Feb. 23 from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization, state regulators have granted Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC an extension of its 90-day cessation of regulated operations requirements.
The request, submitted Feb. 18 by Pixelle representative Charles Kraske, asked the state for additional time to complete the removal of regulated substances from the Chillicothe facility. Company officials cited the size of the plant, the volume of regulated materials, and shipment scheduling as reasons the work could extend beyond the original deadline.
Melisa Witherspoon, chief of the EPA’s Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization, approved the extension under Ohio Revised Code 3752.06(B), granting Pixelle until March 27, 2026, to complete the work.
The development comes as new owners, US Medical Glove Company and its newly formed division US Paper Mill LLC, move forward with plans for the site following Pixelle’s closure of paper production operations.
State officials said the extension allows additional time to remove regulated substances from the facility before full transition of the property.