From: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (4 articles)
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 06:52:37 -0700
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, August 11, 2014 at 6:52:20 AM

A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas

Table of Contents (4 articles)

DEADLY CHEMICAL BLASTS IN TAIWAN
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, death, petroleum

DRY CLEANING CHEMICAL CONTAMINATES UNITY WELLS.
Tags: us_WI, public, discovery, environmental, pce

CHEMICAL REACTION MAKES MAINTENANCE WORKER ILL AT SENIOR LIVING HOME
Tags: us_NY, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals

FORMALDEHYDE IS A HUMAN CARCINOGEN, NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL SAYS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, formaldehyde


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DEADLY CHEMICAL BLASTS IN TAIWAN
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, death, petroleum

A series of explosions caused by leaks in an underground propylene pipeline in Kaohsiung, Taiwan?s second-largest city, killed 30 people and injured 300 more on the evening of July 31, according to the state-owned Central News Agency. The pipe was bringing raw material to LCY, a chemical company that operates several plants in the industrial city.
Five firefighters were among the dead, the news agency reported. The blasts occurred when emergency responders were already at the scene investigating reports of gas smells. The pipe ran under the streets of a busy commercial and residential neighborhood.
Amid claims that the tragedy could have been avoided, four senior Taiwan government officials, including the economic minister, have tendered their resignations.
Investigators have determined that the propylene pipeline responsible for the blast belongs to LCY. For two hours before the blast, 10 metric tons of propylene leaked from the pipe, according to Kaohsiung?s Environmental Protection Bureau.
Accusations and denials are flying in the wake of the accident. Kaohsiung officials maintain that LCY could have turned off its propylene supply as soon as it noticed a drop in pressure. LCY issued an apology for its role in the accident but also alleges that maintenance of the pipe was the responsibility of its builder, China Petroleum Corp., which denies responsibility.

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DRY CLEANING CHEMICAL CONTAMINATES UNITY WELLS.
Tags: us_WI, public, discovery, environmental, pce

UNITY ? Investigators from the state?s Department of Natural Resources are asking residents here for permission to test their water wells this week to determine if a dry-cleaning chemical is present.

The DNR will test the water in private wells for tetrachloroethylene, a chemical used widely by the dry cleaning industry in the 1970s. The chemical has been found in four private wells on the north side of this small town that straddles the boundary between Marathon and Clark counties between Colby and Spencer.

Those who have already been found to have unsafe wells are being provided bottled water, according to a DNR media release. Officials from the Marathon County and Clark County health departments also have been notified.

Tetrachloroethylene is a nonflammable liquid solvent that, in addition to dry cleaning, is used for wood processing, fabric manufacturing and metal degreasing, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

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CHEMICAL REACTION MAKES MAINTENANCE WORKER ILL AT SENIOR LIVING HOME
Tags: us_NY, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals

Cayuga Heights (WSYR-TV) - A maintenance man's mistake landed him in the hospital Saturday morning as Ithaca fire crews tried to find out what made him sick.

Around 4 a.m. on Saturday morning, crews were alerted to a report of a man overcome by fumes from pool chemicals at Kendal of Ithaca, a senior living facility on North Triphammer Road.

Emergency responders said the man was having difficulty breathing after he accidentally put chlorine in a container for muriatic acid.

The area where the chemicals were mixed was isolated as Ithaca Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Team conducted tests to identify the chemicals.

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FORMALDEHYDE IS A HUMAN CARCINOGEN, NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL SAYS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a human carcinogen, the National Research Council (NRC) says in a report released today. It upholds a federal classification of the chemical that industry has vigorously disputed.
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) labeled formaldehyde as ?known to be a human carcinogen? in its 2011 ?Report on Carcinogens.? In response to industry criticism of the listing, Congress asked for NRC to scrutinize NTP?s assessment.
NRC reviewed NTP?s work and conducted its own independent assessment of formaldehyde studies. Sufficient scientific evidence exists to support an association between formaldehyde and cancer in people, the NRC report concludes.
This listing does not necessarily mean people?s health is at risk from any particular use of formaldehyde. The ?Report on Carcinogens? is a hazard assessment and does not factor in data on exposure.

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