Some residents acknowledge that conditions have improved over the decades, but say there’s still room for progress.

It started in January, when a carbon monoxide leak at Covington Middle School forced the building to shut down for several weeks. But even after it reopened, reports of symptoms like headaches, nausea, and fatigue persisted. Now a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project has named Covington’s paper mill among the nation’s top polluters in its industry.