From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (16 articles)
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2018 06:56:23 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 02A26D72-1D40-4DC0-A953-DAD87BCED256**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


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Table of Contents (16 articles)

HAZMAT SITUATION AT THE MIDDLETOWN WATER TREATMENT PLANT
Tags: us_OH, industrial, release, injury, water_treatment

3 HOSPITALIZED IN HACKENSACK AS BERGEN HAZMAT RESPONDS TO UNKNOWN ODOR
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

DEADLY POTASSIUM CYANIDE LEAKAGE INJURES ÁHEMIST AT PRAGUE LAB
Tags: Czech_Republic, laboratory, release, injury, cyanide

MAN, FAMILY AND DOGS POISONED WHEN HE CLEANED OUT FISH TANK
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

7 MIAMI SCHOOL CAFETERIA WORKERS HOSPITALIZED AFTER CO EXPOSURE ‰?? WSVN 7NEWS
Tags: us_FL, education, release, injury, carbon_monoxide

NEWTON ABBOT FIRE CREW ATTEND EXPLOSION CALL-OUT
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, explosion, injury, other_chemical

TWO AFFECTED BY NOXIOUS SUBSTANCE AT PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA IN DOWNTOWN MONTEREY
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, pepper_spray

STATE CITES HALF-DOZEN VIOLATIONS OF LANL WASTE PERMIT
Tags: us_NM, laboratory, follow-up, environmental, flammables, radiation, waste

JEFFERSON COUNTY CREWS TRANSFER HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL, RESIDENTS
Tags: us_TN, transportation, release, response, other_chemical

PART OF HIGHWAY 285 CLOSED AS RESULT OF FIRE AT ARTESIA INDUSTRIAL PARK
Tags: us_NM, industrial, fire, response, sulphur

FIRE AT S KOREAN LOTTE'S DAESAN BTX FACILITY HALTS PRODUCTION, DAMAGES PIPELINES
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS FOUND IN AIRPORT BUSINESS PARK WELL
Tags: us_VT, public, discovery, environmental, dye

BUFFALO COUNTY HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO CONTAINER LEAK AT BROWN TRANSFER
Tags: us_NE, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical

CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE TO FLAME RETARDANT CHEMICALS DECLINES FOLLOWING PHASE-OUT
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

FAMILY CONTINUES SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS ONE YEAR AFTER DEADLY SOU
Tags: us_MO, industrial, follow-up, environmental

CHEMICAL SPILL STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, CLEANUP ONGOING
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ferric_chloride


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HAZMAT SITUATION AT THE MIDDLETOWN WATER TREATMENT PLANT
http://abc22now.com/news/local/hazmat-situation-at-the-middletown-water-treatment-plant
Tags: us_OH, industrial, release, injury, water_treatment

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (WKRC) - Two Middletown Water Treatment Plant workers were taken to the hospital after a HazMat situation there.
The city of Middletown said the plant stores lime in a bulk storage area for water softening. There was a leak on Thursday in the maintenance area, possibly due to a rotary valve.
HazMat, Butler County EMA, Middletown firefighters and other fire departments responded to the plant. HazMat crews have entered the treatment plant and they're still assessing the situation. Chief Paul Lolli said it would take several entries into the building to assess the situation.
The plant is on Columbia Avenue, which is closed while the situation is ongoing.
The two workers have been treated at Atrium Medical Center. They're remaining under observation there.

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3 HOSPITALIZED IN HACKENSACK AS BERGEN HAZMAT RESPONDS TO UNKNOWN ODOR
http://hackensack.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/3-hospitalized-in-hackensack-as-bergen-hazmat-responds-to-unknown-odor/735353/
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

One firefighter and two residents were sent to the hospital Thursday night after being exposed to an unknown odor in a Hackensack apartment building, fire officials said.

Six people were injured including the three hospitalized, the other trio declined treatment, Hackensack Fire Captain Justin Derevyanik said.

At 8:13 p.m., an unknown odor that irritated residents' throats brought a Bergen County HazMat Unit, Hackensack Fire Department and Teaneck FAST team to the third floor of the 2000 building of the Avalon Hackensack at Riverside apartments, the captain said.

Bergen County HazMat cleared the Hackensack Avenue building just before 10 p.m., allowing the nearly 100 occupants back inside while the source of the odor remained undetermined, Derevyanik said.

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DEADLY POTASSIUM CYANIDE LEAKAGE INJURES ÁHEMIST AT PRAGUE LAB
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201804051063233362-prague-potassium-cyanide-leakage/
Tags: Czech_Republic, laboratory, release, injury, cyanide

In the wake of the leakage of a hazardous poison in Prague, Czech Republic, emergency response group and a fire brigade managed to fend off a threat to the environment.
On Wednesday evening, a potassium cyanide leak in a Czech laboratory injured a member of staff, a spokesman for the fire department, Martin Kavka, reported.

"A leakage occurred during the work with the poisonous substance which had to have been destroyed. A chemist got an arm injury and was taken to hospital," he said.

A special ventilation system was automatically activated in the laboratory, thus there was no imminent threat to the environment, according to Kavka.

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MAN, FAMILY AND DOGS POISONED WHEN HE CLEANED OUT FISH TANK
https://www.devonlive.com/news/uk-world-news/man-family-dogs-poisoned-cleaned-1422616
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

A man revealed how coral in a fish tank poisoned him and other family members while he was cleaning it.

Chris Matthews, 27, was hospitalised along with his girlfriend, mum, dad, sister and her boyfriend, and four firefighters after they breathed in toxic fumes.

Experienced fish owner Chris was cleaning out a tank and moving the contents to another container when the accident happened.

In the process he took out a rock covered in coral and scraped it clean.

Inadvertently he released deadly substance palytoxin into the atmosphere, and then closed the door and went to sleep.

The following day the entire family suffered flu-like symptoms, and even their two dogs became ill.

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7 MIAMI SCHOOL CAFETERIA WORKERS HOSPITALIZED AFTER CO EXPOSURE ‰?? WSVN 7NEWS
https://wsvn.com/news/local/7-miami-school-cafeteria-workers-hospitalized-after-co-exposure/
Tags: us_FL, education, release, injury, carbon_monoxide

MIAMI (WSVN) - Seven cafeteria workers at a Miami elementary school were taken to the hospital after, officials said, they were exposed to carbon monoxide, Thursday morning.

According to City of Miami Fire Rescue, the workers were transported to Mercy Hospital for medical evaluation.

‰??This tragedy is averted,‰?? said Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

Just after 10 a.m. there were reports of a strong odor that made workers sick at Orchard Villa Elementary School, located at 5720 NW 13th Ave.

Investigators believe it was human error that caused the concern. Ventilation fans were not on when the staff was preparing food for the children for lunch, causing the victims to feel ill.

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NEWTON ABBOT FIRE CREW ATTEND EXPLOSION CALL-OUT
http://www.teignmouth-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=112229&headline=Newton%20Abbot%20fire%20crew%20attend%20explosion%20call-out§ionIs=news&searchyear 18
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, explosion, injury, other_chemical

FIREFIGHTERS from Newton Abbot were called to the Salcombe area to deal with a chemical scare.
The town crew, specialists in tackling environmental and contamination hazards, undertook a two-hour round trip to Marlborough yesterday after a contractor was injured when his house-washing spray container exploded.
It emerged that a mixture of two chemicals ‰?? hydrochloride and an acid ‰?? caused the container to blow up at about midday.
The casualty ‰?? dressed in protective overalls ‰?? suffered cuts and burns to his hand in the accident. He was taken by ambulance to hospital for a check-up.
Newton Abbot‰??s environmental protection crew cover a large area of the county. The next nearest specialist team is in Taunton.

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TWO AFFECTED BY NOXIOUS SUBSTANCE AT PORTOLA HOTEL & SPA IN DOWNTOWN MONTEREY
http://www.montereyherald.com/article/NF/20180404/NEWS/180409923
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, pepper_spray

Monterey >> Portola Hotel & Spa in downtown Monterey was the scene of a hazardous materials situation on Wednesday when two hotel employees were overcome by a noxious substance.

At about 11:45 a.m., the Monterey Police Department, Monterey Fire Department, and Monterey County Hazmat responded to the hotel at 2 Portola Plaza regarding a possible hazmat exposure.

When crews arrived, it was determined that someone had discharged a substance consistent with Oleoresin Capsicum pepper spray inside one of the hotel rooms. Two hotel employees who were exposed to the spray were treated and one of them was transported to a local hospital.

OC pepper spray is a substance used for self-defense and in the outdoors to fend off aggressive animals. When inhaled, the spray can cause irritation to the respiratory system, making it difficult to breathe. When sprayed onto a person or animal, it can cause the eyes to swell shut and cause discomfort to the affected areas though the effects are not permanent.

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STATE CITES HALF-DOZEN VIOLATIONS OF LANL WASTE PERMIT
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/state-cites-half-dozen-violations-of-lanl-waste-permit/article_c8464cf2-2970-5858-a1e4-4cc2f03b7685.html
Tags: us_NM, laboratory, follow-up, environmental, flammables, radiation, waste

Waste was stored inside a flammable cabinet, highly toxic materials were kept in a cardboard box labeled ‰??non-hazardous,‰?? and gallons of oxidizing liquids were stacked haphazardly atop flammable solids.

State inspectors reported these issues among a half-dozen violations of Los Alamos National Laboratory‰??s hazardous waste permit in November. Discovered during an unplanned compliance inspection, the problems did not prevent the lab from shipping mislabeled waste out of state just two days later.

Other problems cited in the inspection report were the lab failing to clean up oil leaking at a nonnuclear weapons testing area and mislabeling containers with highly acidic waste.

The New Mexico Environment Department said the issues were resolved by mid-February.

Matt Nerzig, the lab‰??s chief spokesman, said in a statement that overall, the annual state Resource Conservation and Recovery Act inspection showed improvement from past years, with fewer violations. ‰??That said,‰?? Nerzig added, ‰??we continue to strive for the best possible compliance record, particularly when it comes to protecting the environment, the public and our workforce.‰??

While previous reports have listed a greater number of violations, the state inspections do not appear to prevent accidents or to provide a full picture of issues that may occur at the lab.

On Nov. 15, two days after state inspectors conducted the compliance inspection, two mislabeled containers of hazardous waste were shipped to a facility in Colorado, the third time in 13 months in which the lab had made errors in shipping waste to the facility. The incident prompted the lab to pause all shipments of hazardous and mixed, low-level radioactive waste for two and half months, which, in turn, led to some waste containers overstaying their allowed time on lab property. This violation could result in state fines of up to $1 million.

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JEFFERSON COUNTY CREWS TRANSFER HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL, RESIDENTS
http://www.wate.com/news/local-news/jefferson-county-crews-transfer-hazardous-chemical-residents-asked-to-avoid-area/1102195231
Tags: us_TN, transportation, release, response, other_chemical

DANDRIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) - The Dandridge Fire Department says crews have completed an operation to transfer a hazardous chemical from one trailer to another at Loves Travel Center on exit 412 off Interstate 40.

Crews were expected to remain on scene for several hours to finish cleanup. No hazards or injuries were reported.

The fire chief says on Monday night, someone noticed a leaky valve on a trailer containing ethylenediamine. Crews attempted a repair on Tuesday, but were unsuccessful. A new trailer arrived on Wednesday and the transfer began.

---------------------------------------------

PART OF HIGHWAY 285 CLOSED AS RESULT OF FIRE AT ARTESIA INDUSTRIAL PARK
https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2018/04/04/sulfur-fire-highway-285-closed-artesia/488153002/
Tags: us_NM, industrial, fire, response, sulphur

Several law enforcement and emergency departments responded to a sulfur fire in Artesia's industrial park Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the closure of U.S. Highway 285 at Mill Road.

Jennifer Armendariz, emergency manager with Eddy County, said Tractor Supply was evacuated as a result of the fire.

Residents in the area, however, are safe in their homes, Armendariz said.

The fire began at a chemical company around 4:30 p.m. One person was treated for smoke inhalation, but no other injuries were reported.

---------------------------------------------

FIRE AT S KOREAN LOTTE'S DAESAN BTX FACILITY HALTS PRODUCTION, DAMAGES PIPELINES
https://www.platts.com/latest-news/petrochemicals/singapore/fire-at-s-korean-lottes-daesan-btx-facility-halts-27949315
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

South Korea's Lotte Chemical halted operations at its Daesan aromatics plant after a fire broke out at 8:30 am local time Thursday (2330 GMT Wednesday), a source with knowledge of the matter said.

The fire was put out quite soon but caused minor damage to several pipelines, the source added.

It is unclear when the plant would be restarted, the source said.

---------------------------------------------

HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS FOUND IN AIRPORT BUSINESS PARK WELL
http://www.rutlandherald.com/articles/hazardous-chemicals-found-in-airport-business-park-well/
Tags: us_VT, public, discovery, environmental, dye

CLARENDON ‰?? Tenants in the Rutland Airport Business Park are under a ‰??do not drink‰?? water order after elevated levels of PFAS were found in a well that serves the park.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that include PFOA and PFOS. The chemicals have often been used to treat non-stick items like ski wax and stain-resistant carpets. They have been linked to health risks like increased cholesterol, and PFOA has been linked to certain cancers.

Peter Walke, deputy secretary of the Department of Environmental Conservation, said as part of the statewide sampling survey looking for PFAS, scientists looked for places where products that might use PFAS were used. One use was firefighting foam used at airports.

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BUFFALO COUNTY HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO CONTAINER LEAK AT BROWN TRANSFER
http://nebraska.tv/news/local/buffalo-county-hazmat-team-responds-to-container-leak-at-brown-transfer
Tags: us_NE, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical

KEARNEY, Neb. ‰?? The Buffalo County Hazmat Team responded to a local business Tuesday afternoon following reports of a strong-smelling odor coming from a truck. It happened around 11 a.m.

Brown Transfer Company called emergency services after they noticed a container leaking in one of the trucks. The hazmat team coordinator told NTV the chemical leaking was a hazardous product, but wouldn't specify what chemical it was.

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CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE TO FLAME RETARDANT CHEMICALS DECLINES FOLLOWING PHASE-OUT
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-childhood-exposure-flame-retardant-chemicals.html
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

Exposure to flame retardants once widely used in consumer products has been falling, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health. The researchers are the first to show that levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) measured in children significantly decreased over a 15-year period between 1998 and 2013, although the chemicals were present in all children tested. The Center previously linked exposure to PBDEs with attention problems and lower scores on tests of mental and physical development in children.
Results appear in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.
Manufacturers used PBDEs as the primary flame retardant chemical in furniture between 1975 and 2004 to comply with fire safety standards, with the highest use of these chemicals occurring in North America. Due to their persistence in the environment and evidence of human health effects, pentaBDE, a specific technical mixture of PBDEs was phased out of use in couches, mattresses, carpet padding, and other upholstered products beginning in 2004. Since PBDE chemicals are stable, they tend to build up indoors and are found in house dust; humans are mainly exposed through ingestion of dust and have some exposure through dietary sources.
Researchers followed 334 mother-child pairs, a subset of CCCEH's ongoing urban birth cohort study in New York City, from prenatal life through adolescence. Researchers collected umbilical cord blood at birth and blood from the children at ages 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Over time, levels of BDE-47, the most frequently detected component of the pentaBDE mixture in humans, decreased by about 5 percent per year from 1998 to 2013. When examining only blood samples collected postnatally, researchers observed a 13 percent decrease per year between 2000 and 2013.

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FAMILY CONTINUES SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS ONE YEAR AFTER DEADLY SOU
http://www.kmov.com/story/37866325/family-continues-searching-for-answers-one-year-after-deadly-soulard-explosion
Tags: us_MO, industrial, follow-up, environmental

ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) ‰?? It‰??s been a year since an explosion killed four people in Soulard and one family is continuing to search for answers.

On April 3, 2017, a large industrial boiler exploded at the Loy-Lange Box Company on Russell Boulevard. A substantial piece of the boiler then traveled around 500 feet and crashed through the roof of the Faultless Healthcare Linen building.

Watch: Surveillance video shows Soulard boiler explosion

Fifty-nine-year-old Kenneth Trentham was killed in the initial explosion at the box company. When the equipment crashed into the Faultless Healthcare Linen building it struck two employees, 43-year-old Tonya Gonzalez-Suarez and 46-year-old Christopher Watkins, killing them. A fourth person, Clifford Lee, 53, was trapped under the hot boiler after it crashed into Faultless Healthcare Linen. He later died as a result of his injuries.

Following the deadly explosion, a News 4 investigation revealed the company had not held its own inspection of the facility for six years.

About a month after the explosion, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said the equipment had been operating under an emergency repair for nearly five years, calling it ‰??uniquely vulnerable‰?? to catastrophic failure due to severe corrosion.

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CHEMICAL SPILL STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, CLEANUP ONGOING
https://www.dawsonnews.com/local/chemical-spill-still-under-investigation-cleanup-ongoing/
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ferric_chloride

Officials with Gold Creek Foods and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources say that the cleanup of Flat Creek in Dawsonville is ongoing after a chemical spill two weeks ago killed the majority of the wildlife in the stream.

On March 20, a Gold Creek Foods employee accidentally punctured a 55-gallon drum of ferric chloride, which ran into the stream behind the chicken processing plant. The spill created highly acidic water, killing fish and other species in the creek, which is a tributary to Shoal Creek and the Etowah River.

The water is now testing at a normal pH, according to Kevin Chambers, communications director with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

‰??The water samples are now back to acceptable levels,‰?? Chambers said Tuesday.

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