MAY 2, 2025 - North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson, Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers, and Spirtas Worldwide owner Eric Spirtas tour the town's century-old paper mill, which will be demolished during a multi-year project. (Photo: WLOS Staff)CANTON, N.C. (WLOS) — North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson visited Canton on Friday, May 2, to tour the former site of t...
MAY 2, 2025 - North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson, Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers, and Spirtas Worldwide owner Eric Spirtas tour the town's century-old paper mill, which will be demolished during a multi-year project. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
CANTON, N.C. (WLOS) — North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson visited Canton on Friday, May 2, to tour the former site of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill and discuss next steps for its demolition.
Plans are moving forward to tear down the site over the next 18 months to two years, according to Mayor Zeb Smathers.
CANTON PAPER MILL SALE FINALIZED AFTER HURRICANE HELENE DELAYS AND LEGAL HURDLES
The 185-acre mill site had a history spanning nearly a century before it closed in 2023.
The current owner, Eric Spirtas, met with stakeholders and spoke with Wilson on Friday. Joined by Smathers, the group toured the mill, which will be torn down in a large, multi-year project.
The demolition process begins with environmental permits, Wilson said Friday.
"With this redevelopment and environmental cleanup, it's a wonderful marriage of different parts of what Canton can be, and so our job at the Department of Environmental Quality is to make sure, working with partners, that everything is done in an environmental and responsible manner and all rules are followed," Wilson said.
AFTER MORE THAN 100 YEARS, CANTON PAPER MILL BLOWS FINAL WHISTLE
Smathers has played a key role in championing a path forward following the mill's closure, which resulted in the loss of hundreds of jobs in the small town. The mill was sold to Spirtas Worldwide, a demolition and redevelopment company, in January 2025 after Hurricane Helene delayed the finalization of the sale.
Some demolition work was already underway in March 2025. Smathers told News 13 at the time that he was in constant communication with Spirtas and emphasized the importance of honoring the site’s history.
"I don't think all of the buildings need to come down," Smathers said on March 19. "You know, there’s many historic buildings down there, I think you can evolve, you can bring in new ideas, new growth on that site but the story of these mill workers, these men and women the sacrifices, the history that needs to be preserved."