From: Secretary ACS DCHAS <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] CHAS Tweets and Chemical Safety headlines (17 articles)
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2013 07:41:54 -0500
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 5F3F7BB7-961B-4565-97B3-FB2A19E73E36**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


**At_Symbol_Here**ACSDCHAS and **At_Symbol_Here**LabSustain tweets and Chemical Safety Headlines
A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
Tweets available on our ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety (DCHAS) Facebook Page
Tagged Article summaries are available at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas

acsdchas ES&T: The Impact of Silver Nanoparticles on the Composting of Municipal Solid Waste http://t.co/WzGEczLULd http://t.co/YltLEe7MzV

labsustain SusChem&Eng: Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles sing Orange Peel #nano http://t.co/k25qdYMzlp http://t.co/yuvUQXxA6K

acsdchas ACS Nano: "Editorial: What Can Nano Do?" http://t.co/JLN604DzRr

JChemHealthSafe Did you get it right? JCHAS is continuously looking for case studies that demonstrate how to "get it done" in Chem Safety. **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas 21 hours ago

acsdchas ACS Nano: Self-Assembly of Nanoparticle Arrays for Use as Mirrors, Sensors, and Antennas http://t.co/X9pxs3DLfn http://t.co/BVUh1Rlgzx

labsustain SusChem&Eng: Nanoparticle Emission in Nanocoating Material Spray Operation #nano http://t.co/G0iia9GJpW http://t.co/OjIYsHulyT

acsdchas C&EN: Calif Revises Furniture Fire Safety Standards: furniture makers will no longer need to use fire-retardants http://t.co/X8NCVNO7k3

Table of Contents (17 articles)

RESEARCH PROGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY ASPECTS OF ENGINEERED NANOMATERIALS
Tags: other, discovery, environmental, nanotech

HAZMAT CALLED FOR MERCURY FOUND IN DAYTON HOME
Tags: us_OH, public, release, response, mercury

HAZMAT CREW RESPONDS TO ACID SPILL AT ST. MATTHEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL, SAFD SAYS
Tags: us_TX, laboratory, release, response, acids

OFFICIALS BAFFLED BY DISCHARGE OF CHEMICALS IN ITHACA?S SEWERS
Tags: us_NY, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

GAS LEAK AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, 500 PEOPLE EVACUATED
Tags: us_NJ, education, release, response, other_chemical

NO INJURIES IN OIL WELL EXPLOSION IN GIBSON COUNTY
Tags: us_IN, industrial, explosion, response, batteries, petroleum

LEGAL FALLOUT CONTINUES OVER MAYFLOWER OIL LEAK
Tags: us_AR, transportation, follow-up, response, other_chemical

EXPLOSION ROCKS MISSOURI NATURAL GAS PLANT
Tags: us_MO, industrial, explosion, response, natural_gas

HAZMAT: FIRE DESTROYS NEW MEXICO FERTILIZER PLANT
Tags: us_NM, industrial, fire, response, ag_chems

SPACEX EXPLOSION ROCKS CENTRAL TEXAS
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, response, nitrogen

SOUTHERN OCEAN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER HAZMAT SPILL CLEANED UP, OFFICIALS SAY
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, response, formaldehyde

CHEMICAL SPILL CONTAINED AT MARLEY NECK LOADING DOCK
Tags: us_MD, transportation, release, response, other_chemical

METH LAB EXPLOSION CATCHES MAN ON FIRE IN STURGIS
Tags: us_MI, public, explosion, injury, meth_lab

FAIRFAX CHEMICAL SPILL CAUSES SCHOOL EVACUATION, SENDS TWO STAFFERS TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_VA, laboratory, release, injury, hydrochloric_acid

SCHOLARSHIP AND INTERNSHIP INFORMATION FOR ACS CHEMISTRY AMBASSADORS TO SHARE
Tags: education, discovery, response

POLICE SEE DECREASE IN LARGE-SCALE METH LABS, BUT USE OF ONE-POT METHODS REMAINS STEADY
Tags: us_MI, public, discovery, response, meth_lab

CALL FOR ?BEST? SCIENCE MAY BE TOXIC
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental


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RESEARCH PROGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY ASPECTS OF ENGINEERED NANOMATERIALS
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18475
Tags: other, discovery, environmental, nanotech

Despite the increase in funding for research and the rising numbers of peer-reviewed publications over the past decade that address the environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), uncertainty about the implications of potential exposures of consumers, workers, and ecosystems to these materials persists. Consumers and workers want to know which of these materials they are exposed to and whether the materials can harm them. Industry is concerned about being able to predict with sufficient certainty whether products that it makes and markets will pose any environmental, health or safety issues and what measures should be taken regarding manufacturing practices and worldwide distribution to minimize any potential risk. However, there remains a disconnect between the research that is being carried out and its relevance to and use by decision-makers and regulators to make informed public health and environmental policy and regulatory decisions.

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HAZMAT CALLED FOR MERCURY FOUND IN DAYTON HOME
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/breaking-news/mercury-possibly-found-homes-attic-hazmat-called/nb9p5/
Tags: us_OH, public, release, response, mercury

DAYTON ? A few ounces of mercury found in an old desk in a home Tuesday afternoon prompted a call to Dayton Regional HAZMAT team.
Dayton fire District Chief Vincent Wiley said an estimated 3 to 4 ounces of mercury had been in an old desk for many years at the residence in the 800 block of Westminster Place.
The fire department called in the Dayton Regional Hazardous Response Team to assess the situation. The HAZMAT coordinator then contacted a contractor to remove the mercury, said Vincent.
According to the HAZMAT team, the mercury was wrapped in plastic, placed in a plastic bin and left at the residence for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to pick up on Wednesday.

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HAZMAT CREW RESPONDS TO ACID SPILL AT ST. MATTHEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL, SAFD SAYS
http://www.kens5.com/news/Hazmat-crews-respond-to-acid-spill-at-St-Matthews-Catholic-School-SAFD-says-234239041.html
Tags: us_TX, laboratory, release, response, acids

SAN ANTONIO -- Firefighters and a hazmat crew were called to a nitric-acid spill at St. Matthew Catholic School Tuesday morning around 10 a.m., according to a spokesperson with the San Antonio Fire Department.
The school principal said a teacher was moving things around the lab when some 'old acid' spilled. A bad smell spurred an evacuation and the students were moved to the school gym while SAFD was phoned.
One student, with asthma, was picked up by a parent after reporting trouble breathing, the principal said. A teacher reportedly contacted a 'spot' of acid on her skin but was OK.

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OFFICIALS BAFFLED BY DISCHARGE OF CHEMICALS IN ITHACA?S SEWERS
http://cornellsun.com/blog/2013/12/03/1003656/
Tags: us_NY, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

Officials are turning to the public in their attempt to find out who dumped a ?significant volume? of chemicals into the City of Ithaca?s sewer system.

In a statement, officials said they believe that the individual responsible released the chemicals ? which they said might be cleaning solution, solvent or something else ? into a building drain or manhole cover on Nov. 23 or Nov. 24. Although the discharge did not likely affect the city?s water supply, it disrupted activity at the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility, according to Dan Ramer, chief operator of the facility.

The treatment facility processes wastewater from the City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca and Town of Dryden and recycles the clean water into Cayuga Lake. Because of the chemicals, however, the microbes the facility uses to remove pollutants from wastewater were not able to treat the water as effectively.

Ultimately, Ramer said, the discharge probably did not cause significant damage to Cayuga Lake?s ecosystem. The issue was more of a ?short-term problem,? he said, adding that, on the other hand, ?if we were discharging that quality of water every day, that would be a problem.?

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GAS LEAK AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, 500 PEOPLE EVACUATED
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id"45890
Tags: us_NJ, education, release, response, other_chemical

PRINCETON, N.J. - December 2, 2013 (WPVI) -- Officials from Princeton University say a construction accident led to a gas leak Monday morning, prompting the evacuation of eleven buildings in the area.

It was shortly before 10:00 a.m. when a backhoe struck a gas line south of the University's McCosh Health Center.

About 500 people from 11 buildings in the immediate were evacuated as a precaution.

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NO INJURIES IN OIL WELL EXPLOSION IN GIBSON COUNTY
http://www.wbiw.com/state/archive/2013/12/no-injuries-in-oil-well-explosion-in-gibson-county.php
Tags: us_IN, industrial, explosion, response, batteries, petroleum

(BUCKSKIN) - There were no injuries Sunday afternoon when an oil well exploded in Gibson County.
The Princeton Daily Clarion reports an oil well with three storage tanks exploded near Buckskin.
Black smoke could be seen for miles away.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
However, fire officials say a spark from a battery located at the site might have touched off the blast.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management was contacted after some burning oil ran into a nearby creek.

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LEGAL FALLOUT CONTINUES OVER MAYFLOWER OIL LEAK
http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/24148229/article-Legal-fallout-continues-over-Mayflower-oil-leak?
Tags: us_AR, transportation, follow-up, response, other_chemical

Lawsuits and alleged safety violations are mounting against Exxon Mobil Corp. following the rupture eight months ago of a pipeline that spilled thousands of barrels of oil in central Arkansas.

Since Exxon's Pegasus pipeline ruptured March 29 and spilled the oil in the Mayflower community about 30 miles northwest of Little Rock, there have been at least 17 lawsuits against Exxon or its subsidiaries in state or federal courts.

And on Nov. 6 the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration alleged nine "probable" violations of safety regulations related to the spill and proposed more than $2.6 million in civil penalties.

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EXPLOSION ROCKS MISSOURI NATURAL GAS PLANT
http://kplr11.com/2013/11/29/explosion-rocks-missouri-natural-gas-plant/
Tags: us_MO, industrial, explosion, response, natural_gas

(KTVI) ? An explosion rocked a natural gas plant near Houstonia, Missouri halfway between Kansas City and Columbia.
An official with Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company says something ruptured at a compressor station causing the blast, which could be seen for miles around.
The fire has been put out and some living nearby were evacuated from their homes as a precaution.
No one was hurt and the cause is under investigation.

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HAZMAT: FIRE DESTROYS NEW MEXICO FERTILIZER PLANT
http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2013/11/fire-destroys-new-mexico-fertilizer-plant.html
Tags: us_NM, industrial, fire, response, ag_chems

A fire Monday night destroyed a fertilizer plant in rural New Mexico.
KRQE reported (http://bit.ly/IoNgPh">http://bit.ly/IoNgPh) that the state fire marshal is investigating the fire that destroyed a good chunk of Loving's Questa Fertilizer, one of the worst fires the village has ever seen.
Five volunteer fire departments and a Carlsbad fire crew responded to the scene. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment were destroyed. Firefighters are not sure what caused the fire.

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SPACEX EXPLOSION ROCKS CENTRAL TEXAS
http://www.kxan.com/news/texas/spacex-explosion-rocks-central-texas
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, response, nitrogen

MCGREGOR, Texas (KXAN) - An explosion at the SpaceX rocket development facility rattled the Central Texas town of McGregor late Tuesday night.

McGregor residents reported feeling two large tremors that felt like earthquakes just before 10:30 p.m.

The McLennan County Sheriff's Office posted a report on Facebook saying, "Anyone that heard the loud boom and felt a rumble outside of McGregor can rest easy. It was two nitrogen filled tanks that over pressurized and ruptured at Space X. Sources are saying no one was injured."

Space in a statement Wednesday afternoon said that at blast originated "from the structural test area where we were running slosh baffle testing and is likely the result of over-pressurized gas."

"No one sustained injuries and SpaceX teams continue work today on site as planned," the statement said. "SpaceX will identify root cause of the incident and make any adjustments necessary to avoid this kind of disturbance to the McGregor community going forward.

"SpaceX places the highest value on safety. The situation provided SpaceX the opportunity to test our standard response protocols in conjunction with the local law enforcement and fire departments. All established protocols worked as expected."

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SOUTHERN OCEAN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER HAZMAT SPILL CLEANED UP, OFFICIALS SAY
http://www.app.com/article/20131202/NJNEWS/312020047/Southern-Ocean-County-Medical-Center-Hazmat-spill-cleaned-up-officials-say?nclick_check=1
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, response, formaldehyde

STAFFORD ? A hazardous materials cleanup team responded to clean up a small spill in a closet near the Labor and Delivery Unit at the Southern Ocean County Medical Center about 10 a.m. Monday morning, hospital officials said.

No patients were at risk at any time, said Donna Sellman, spokeswoman for Meridian Health. Sellman said there were several fire trucks at the hospital but the irritant was contained quickly.

The hospital is on Route 72 in Manahawkin.

An investigation revealed that a small quantity of formaldehyde was spilled in a utility closet adjacent to the Labor and Delivery unit of the hospital, Stafford Police Capt. Thomas J. Dellane said. The spill was contained to the closet and no evacuations were necessary. No patients were injured in this incident but three hospital employees were treated for minor inhalation injuries and released.

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CHEMICAL SPILL CONTAINED AT MARLEY NECK LOADING DOCK
http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/for_the_record/police_beat/chemical-spill-contained-at-marley-neck-loading-dock/article_6e044924-3c73-50ad-b501-10cd63c9e052.html
Tags: us_MD, transportation, release, response, other_chemical

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department's hazardous materials unit responded to a chemical spill overnight at R+L Carriers in the 700 block of Pittman Road in Marley Neck, fire department spokesman Division Chief Keith Swindle said.
The spill occurred Monday around 1:30 a.m. when a 55-gallon drum containing the explosive chemical nonylphenol was punctured by a forklift, Swindle said.
The drum was being loaded into a tractor-trailer and the spill was contained to the loading dock, Swindle said.
It took firefighters and crews from the state Department of the Environment about one hour to contain the spill. The cleanup has been turned over to a private company, and there is no threat to the environment, Swindle said.

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METH LAB EXPLOSION CATCHES MAN ON FIRE IN STURGIS
http://wwmt.com/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/wwmt_meth-lab-explosion-catches-man-fire-sturgis-16196.shtml
Tags: us_MI, public, explosion, injury, meth_lab

STURGIS, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) ? Police in Sturgis say a meth lab explosion prompted a report of a man on fire.

Sturgis Police and the Sturgis Fire Department responded to the 200 block of North Centerville around 8:00 pm Monday to a report of a man on fire.

Upon arrival, emergency personnel found a 53-year-old male in the shower with severe second and third degree burns on his body.

The man was transported to Sturgis Hospital and then airlifted to Bronson Hospital. At this time his condition is unknown.

Police say investigation revealed that a meth lab had exploded in the basement of the home while the man was holding it, causing him to catch on fire.

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FAIRFAX CHEMICAL SPILL CAUSES SCHOOL EVACUATION, SENDS TWO STAFFERS TO HOSPITAL
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/fairfax-chemical-spill-causes-school-evacuation-sends-two-staffers-to-hospital/2013/12/02/cb744d72-5b74-11e3-a49b-90a0e156254b_story.html
Tags: us_VA, laboratory, release, injury, hydrochloric_acid

A chemical spill at South Lakes High School in Reston sent two staffers to the hospital and forced two wings of the school to be shut down early this morning, school officials said.

At about 6:45 this morning, a container of hydrochloric acid was spilled inside a storage room, school officials said. In a letter to parents, South Lakes Principal Kim Retzer wrote that no students were injured during the incident, which happened before classes started Monday.

Two school staff members were transported to the Reston Hospital Center as a precautionary measure, Retzer wrote. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel arrived on scene and closed down parts of the school where the spill occurred.

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SCHOLARSHIP AND INTERNSHIP INFORMATION FOR ACS CHEMISTRY AMBASSADORS TO SHARE
http://t.congressweb.com/w/?HREQDOCZIC
Tags: education, discovery, response

ACS Scholars: ACS offers renewable scholarships to underrepresented minority students who want to enter chemistry or related fields. Awards of up to $5,000 are given to qualified African American, Hispanic or American Indian students who are high school seniors or college freshman, sophomores, or juniors pursuing a college degree in the chemical sciences. Applications will be due March 1, 2014.

SCI Scholars: Exceptional college sophomores and juniors majoring in chemistry and chemical engineering can apply for a prestigious 10-week internship through the SCI Scholars Program. Benefits include industrial experience, a generous stipend, scientific meeting travel award, and the chance to nominate a high school teacher of their choice for further benefits. Applications will be due Dec. 14, 2013.

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POLICE SEE DECREASE IN LARGE-SCALE METH LABS, BUT USE OF ONE-POT METHODS REMAINS STEADY
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/12/police_are_seeing_a_decrease_i.html
Tags: us_MI, public, discovery, response, meth_lab

JACKSON, MI ? As the older method of making meth is on the decline, makers are using a simpler and quicker method to produce the drug, police say.

Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Dave Cook shows the Hazmat approved storage location for hazardous waste at the Jackson Post where ingredients used to make methamphetamine are stored before being destroyed or recycled.

The Michigan State Police say over the past 10 years, use of larger methamphetamine labs to produce the drug has been on the decline. These methods include red-phosphorus, Phenyl-2-Propanone and Anhydrous Ammonia methods.

But police say the use of one-pot methods to make meth has stayed steady over the last couple years, if not increased slightly. The one-pot method is when the ingredients to make meth are placed in a plastic bottle to mix.

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CALL FOR ?BEST? SCIENCE MAY BE TOXIC
http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i48/Call-BestScience-Toxic.html
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental

A bipartisan bill that would change how the Environmental Protection Agency governs commercial chemicals is getting a lot of attention from Congress and those in the chemical enterprise. Introduced earlier this year, the measure (S. 1009) would modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), a law that has remained essentially unchanged since Congress passed it in 1976.
The bill would compel EPA to assess the safety of thousands of industrial chemicals?a responsibility the agency does not now have. The chemical industry, environmental and health advocates, and the Obama Administration all support the legislation?s call for safety assessments.
But as experts pore over the details of the 127-page bill, they are raising concern about certain provisions. The latest issue to emerge is one that they say could seriously cramp EPA?s ability to assess chemical safety?precisely the added responsibility that other parts of the bill put on the agency.

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