From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (11 articles)
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2019 08:02:33 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 0BC90DFD-27FD-4766-BC23-A18B7589C576**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, December 6, 2019 at 8:02:19 AM

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

Table of Contents (11 articles)

4 INJURED IN HAZMAT SITUATION NEAR METRO CENTER
Tags: us_TN, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

BLAST CAUSES EVACUATION FROM SANTIAGO DE CHILE COMMUNE
Tags: Chile, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

EPA AUTHORIZES USE OF 'CYANIDE BOMBS' TO PROTECT LIVESTOCK AGAINST PREDATORS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, cyanide

VAPOR CLOUD CITED IN TPC EXPLOSION BY CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, injury, other_chemical

GAS LEAK CAUSES UNDERGROUND EXPLOSION IN BROOKLINE, BLOWING OFF MANHOLE COVERS
Tags: us_MA, public, explosion, response, carbon_monoxide, natural_gas

5 HOSPITALIZED WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AFTER LEAK AT SALEM OFFICE BUILDING
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, injury, carbon_monoxide

OVERNIGHT NIGHT CHEMICAL LEAK LEADS TO EVACUATIONS
Tags: us_IA, public, release, response, ammonia

ONE INJURED IN MASSIVE BENTONVILLE PLANT FIRE
Tags: us_AR, industrial, fire, injury, other_chemical

4 DEAD, 10 INJURED IN FOOD PROCESSING PLANT EXPLOSION
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

STILL NO ‰??ALL CLEAR‰?? AFTER CHEMICAL BLASTS, BUT TOWN MOVES ON
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, environmental, petroleum

OHIO EPA TO TEST NEARLY 1,500 WATER SOURCES FOR 'FOREVER CHEMICAL'
Tags: us_OH, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical


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4 INJURED IN HAZMAT SITUATION NEAR METRO CENTER
https://www.wkrn.com/news/4-injured-after-chemical-spill-near-metro-center/
Tags: us_TN, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) ‰?? At least four people were injured in a HAZMAT incident near Metro Center Thursday morning.

Crews with the Nashville Fire Department were dispatched to 221 Cumberland Bend, which is a Social Security office, around 10:15 a.m.

The department said four people needed treatment after the HAZMAT situation.

Larry Clymer, Chief of Special Operations with the Nashville Fire Department described the incident as ‰??a dried out pee trap, it‰??s an s curve in the plumbing and if it the trap dries out, odors can come out‰??

According to authorities, those that felt sick left and possibly went home before fire officials arrived.

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BLAST CAUSES EVACUATION FROM SANTIAGO DE CHILE COMMUNE
https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=49644&SEO=blast-causes-evacuation-from-santiago-de-chile-commune
Tags: Chile, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

Santiago, Chile, Dec 5 (Prensa Latina) A blast occurred Thursday morning at a chemical plant on the outskirts of Santiago, sparking the preventive evacuation of many local residents.

Firefighters were alerted by residents of the Maipu commune after the explosion, which according to the authorities was a result of a reaction caused by the mixture of chemical components.

According to reports, the blast was also felt in other municipalities in western Santiago, and at least eight people were admitted to hospital in the commune, although without serious injuries.

Five firefighter companies were deployed to the site and, as a preventive measure, evacuated the nearby population and workers from companies within a 500-meter radius, Radio Bio Bio reported.

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EPA AUTHORIZES USE OF 'CYANIDE BOMBS' TO PROTECT LIVESTOCK AGAINST PREDATORS
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/473184-epa-authorizes-use-of-cyanide-bombs-to-protect-livestock-against-predators
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, cyanide

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authorized the use of "cyanide bombs" to protect livestock against wild animals on Thursday after adding additional safety requirements in response to backlash from environmental groups.

The new requirements call for increased distances between where the M-44 chemical trap devices can be placed. Advocacy groups had raised concerns in August when the previous proposal was announced.

The EPA's earlier authorization for use of the devices ‰?? to manage populations of coyotes, foxes and other wild animals ‰?? was withdrawn a week after it was introduced, with the agency saying further analysis was needed.

‰??Through our discussions, we identified new restrictions that will raise awareness and create additional buffers around where M-44s are placed, which will reduce the potential for unintended impacts on humans, pets, and other non-target animals,‰?? EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Alexandra Dunn said in a statement Thursday.

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VAPOR CLOUD CITED IN TPC EXPLOSION BY CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD
https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Vapor-cloud-cited-in-TPC-explosion-by-Chemical-14885208.php
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, injury, other_chemical

The first details of what happened right before the TPC Group plant in Port Neches erupted in flames last week were laid out Thursday, but federal officials warned that real answers are likely months away.

A vapor cloud over a butadiene unit exploded in the early morning of Nov. 27, setting off the catastrophic explosion at the TPC Group blast that ignited a nearly week-long fire at the plant and led to the release of chemicals including 1,3-butadiene and asbestos, the Chemical Safety Board reported at a news conference Thursday.

The Chemical Safety Board, the independent federal agency tasked with investigating and documenting plant and refinery incidents, arrived in Southeast Texas earlier in the week but hadn‰??t released updates on their activities until Thursday.

CSB board member Manuel Ehrlich said the six investigators sent to Port Neches haven‰??t been able to make it inside the plant site because of ongoing response efforts but have gotten accounts from the three workers injured at the site.

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GAS LEAK CAUSES UNDERGROUND EXPLOSION IN BROOKLINE, BLOWING OFF MANHOLE COVERS
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/12/04/multiple-manhole-explosions-shutdown-part-route-brookline/vAIfqOYPDMK5MqIespRBKI/story.html
Tags: us_MA, public, explosion, response, carbon_monoxide, natural_gas

BROOKLINE ‰?? An underground explosion caused by a gas leak popped off four manhole covers and damaged some buildings on a stretch of Route 9 Wednesday night, a fire official said.

‰??Something ignited it, possibly electricity, but we‰??re not 100 percent sure of that yet,‰?? Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Canney said at the scene shortly before 9 p.m.

There were no injuries and no cars were damaged, he said.

The explosions, which occurred at about 6 p.m., broke some glass in buildings along Boylston Street, which is Route 9, and three or four businesses were evacuated, he said.

Any residents who left their homes because of the incident were cleared to return by 8:30 p.m.

Firefighters were investigating possible carbon monoxide in the basements of some of the buildings Wednesday night, he said.

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5 HOSPITALIZED WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AFTER LEAK AT SALEM OFFICE BUILDING
https://www.boston25news.com/news/5-hospitalized-with-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-after-leak-at-salem-office-building/1015481504
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, injury, carbon_monoxide

SALEM, Mass. - Five people were taken to the hospital and hundreds were forced to evacuate following a hazmat incident at a Salem office building.

Hazmat crews were called to the Shetland Park Building around 8:30 Wednesday morning after a woman was found unconscious on the fourth-floor. That woman, along with four others, were taken to the hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning. Three of the victims have been released from the hospital.

Danielle Salvi knew something bad had happened when she walked up to 35 Congress St. Wednesday morning.

Salvi, who works nearby, said there were ‰??A couple of ambulances, tons of fire trucks."

Officials say two of the five victims' CO levels were 40 parts per million, which is just at the dangerous mark. They were taken to Mass General's Hyperbaric Center. Thirty-seven other employees detected positive for carbon monoxide but decided not to be treated.

The leak was so bad, investigators say one woman was found unconscious.

The victims work for Excelitas Technologies, a company that manufactures equipment for the military.

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OVERNIGHT NIGHT CHEMICAL LEAK LEADS TO EVACUATIONS
https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/overnight-night-chemical-leak-leads-to-evacuations
Tags: us_IA, public, release, response, ammonia

SPRINGVILLE, Iowa ‰?? Two homes had to be evacuated late Wednesday night due to a chemical leak in Springville.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office, Linn County Rescue, Linn County Hazmat and Springville Fire Department responded to the leak at the Springville COOP.

They found a faulty valve caused anhydrous to leak from a tank there.

Two residences were evacuated for precautionary measures until the valve was fixed.

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ONE INJURED IN MASSIVE BENTONVILLE PLANT FIRE
https://5newsonline.com/2019/12/04/crews-responding-to-massive-fire-in-bentonville/
Tags: us_AR, industrial, fire, injury, other_chemical

BENTONVILLE, Ark. ‰?? A fire at an industrial plant in Bentonville sent thick clouds of smoke through Benton County.

The fire broke out at United Industries, a plant full of laminated plastic materials, On E Central Ave. Wednesday (Dec. 4) afternoon.

Thick black smoke could be seen billowing through the air as crews battled the flames.

According to Beth Wright from Northwest Medical Center, one person was injured at the scene and has already been released from the hospital. All other employees were accounted for, and no emergency crew members were harmed.

Kevin Boydston, Deputy Chief for the Bentonville Fire Department, said the situation is under control, and Melody Daniel with the Arkansas Department of Emgergency Management says the fire is completly put out.

Boydston said in a press conference, crews initially responded to an external fire at the plant.

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4 DEAD, 10 INJURED IN FOOD PROCESSING PLANT EXPLOSION
https://www.powderbulksolids.com/news/4-Dead-10-Injured-in-Food-Processing-Plant-Explosion-12-04-2019
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

An explosion at a food processing facility in Beijing, China in the early hours of Tuesday morning left four people dead and injured at least 10 others, several Chinese and regional news organizations reported.

The blast was reported at the Kyo-Nichi Todai Foods bean processing plant at about 3 am. A fire that ignited after the explosion was put out by 3:40 am, coverage by state-owned publication China Daily said.

Officials told Malaysian news website The Starthat two people died at the facility and two others were pronounced dead at a hospital. Some reports said 11 people were injured during the incident, while others set the figure at 10.

Kyo-Nichi Todai Foods, a Japanese-owned firm, processes about 70,000 mt of products that are exported to the US, Japan, and in Southeast Asia, according to the South China Morning Post.

An investigation into the cause of the explosion was opened.

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STILL NO ‰??ALL CLEAR‰?? AFTER CHEMICAL BLASTS, BUT TOWN MOVES ON
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/still-no-clear-chemical-blasts-185345727.html
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, environmental, petroleum

(Bloomberg) -- Nearly a week since an early-morning chemical blast injured three and rained debris on Port Neches, Texas, residents of the town said they were ready to get back to business.

The subsequent fire at the crude-byproducts-processing facility, owned by TPC Group, was extinguished late Tuesday after forcing residents out of their homes over the Thanksgiving holiday. A mandatory evacuation order, made by a county judge after a second explosion at the plant, was lifted Friday morning, but officials have yet to issue an ‰??all clear‰?? for the project site. TPC said it will hold a call with investors Thursday to discuss the incident.

It was the latest disaster to hit southeast Texas towns with major chemical and petroleum plants.

‰??A lot of people have lived here their whole lives and are used to it,‰?? said Mark Martinez, owner of The Tamale King, which was forced to close on the usually bustling Thanksgiving eve.

But this one was different, residents said. It was the middle of the night on Nov. 27 when residents jolted awake after the initial blast blew open doors, shattered windows and sent picture frames and knick-knacks crashing to the floor. Asbestos and other debris fell on backyards and rooftops, and residents were warned not to touch it.

‰??I never thought it would be this extreme,‰?? said JillSuzanne Murphy-Wills, who was born and raised in Port Neches and owns a home-furnishings store in town. ‰??Our friends‰?? homes are destroyed.‰??

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OHIO EPA TO TEST NEARLY 1,500 WATER SOURCES FOR 'FOREVER CHEMICAL'
https://www.10tv.com/article/ohio-epa-test-nearly-1500-water-sources-forever-chemical-2019-dec
Tags: us_OH, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is hoping a series of tests on water systems in the state will reveal if a substance known as the ‰??forever chemical‰?? is present.

Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency will begin testing nearly 1,500 water systems in the state. The tests will specifically look for the presence of chemicals classified as ‰??PFAS.‰??

According to the EPA website, PFAS can be found in everyday products nonstick products like Teflon, paints, cleaning products and even fire-fighting foams.

‰??As Governor DeWine learned more about this issue, he wanted Ohio to take action and to access the drinking water,‰?? said Ohio EPA spokesperson Heidi Griesmer.

Griesmer says so far, two Ohio locations have water sources that tested positive for PFAS ‰?? Wright Patterson Air Force Base and some water systems in southeast Ohio.

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