“The Town has confirmed that due to a malfunction at the Mill there was a release of spent black liquor which resulted in precipitation of brown or tan colored ... skin contact with the brown ...

making the substance an alkali and a skin irritant. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection later tested the tan-colored snow and found pH levels of "8 or lower," the city said.

Spent black liquor, a paper production byproduct, was released, altering the snow's color and raising health ... it could irritate skin. Officials caution residents The town officials advised ...

resulting in “precipitation of brown or tan colored snow,” according to a Facebook post from the Town of Rumsford. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection visited the town to ...

Officials warned residents not to touch the substance after initially saying some of the snow measured a pH level of 10, making the substance an alkali and a skin irritant. The Maine Department of ...