NIPIGION — Lake Nipigion Forest Management Inc. has proposed an innovative project that would revitalize the former Multiply mill site.
The mill site has been vacant since 2007 after a fire destroyed the plywood mill, with the town of Nipigon having owned the property since.
Scott Rubin, CEO for Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc., said that his company's project is to utilize the property to produce natural gas and biochar from waste wood.
Rubin said that the manufacturing process works in a closed-loop system. Waste wood products would be chipped to a very small size and placed it into a chamber which takes out the oxygen before setting the produce on fire. From there, the carbon is converted to methane.
Alternatively, Rubin notes that the residue left behind creates biochar, which can be used in carbon steel production.
“We are actually making two different products out of it,” said Rubin.
Nipigon Mayor Suzanne Kukko said the company plans to purchase the site from the town and employ 13 people including administration, equipment operators, and truck drivers.
“We are looking forward to having another owner and another taxpayer in town,” Kukko said.
As part of the negotiations between the town and Lake Nipigion Forest Management Inc, a public consultation was held.
Kukko said the public is curious about the economic benefit of the project, but “for the most part, I think people are really excited about the possibility of having another business that is producing and exporting things out just like the old mill use to.”
When the mill site is sold to the company, Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc. would need to go through an environmental assessment process before it can open.
Rubin said that the most fascinating part of their product is that it uses all the excess residues from already manufacture wood products.
“We are not doing slash pile burns and we are not doing leaving it out. We are actually using that to produce green energy. All the processes are carbon negative through the process as well,” Rubin said.
If negotiations go well between the town of Nipigon and Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc., Rubin expects that to start developing the mill site this summer to have construction and operation by late 2024.
