From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (25 articles)
Date: Mon, 24 May 2021 05:58:42 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: 0BEC8F5D-673D-4CF1-9E92-1E44135BEC2E**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, May 24, 2021 at 5:57:55 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 (25 articles)

SRI LANKAN OFFICIALS ORDER BURNING BOXSHIP OUT TO SEA
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, response, fire_extinguisher, nitric_acid

TEXAS LAWMAKERS PASS NEW REGULATIONS ON CHEMICAL TANKS
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, environmental, petroleum, waste

BARTO LANDING CLOSED DUE TO ONGOING HAZMAT RESPONSE
Tags: us_IL, public, release, response, petroleum

HAZMAT: 6 REPORT DIFFICULTY BREATHING IN MONTCO DRUG LAB LEAK
Tags: us_PA, laboratory, release, response, drugs

MAJOR FIRE ON SHIP CARRYING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS OFF COLOMBO PORT
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, response, unknown_chemical

CHEMICAL-LOADED CONTAINER GUTTED AT CHATTOGRAM PORT
Tags: China, transportation, fire, response, flammables

AAI TEAM PLAYS CRUCIAL ROLE IN EXTINGUISHING FIRE AT CHEMICAL FACTORY
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, gasoline

EXPLOSION AND FIRE REPORTED NEAR ESFAHAN, CENTRAL IRAN
Tags: Iran, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

LEACHATE SPILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AT BETHLEHEM LANDFILL COULD BE LARGEST IN N.H.
Tags: us_NH, industrial, release, response, metals, waste

U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, response, hydrogen_sulfide

FBI CALLED TO PA APARTMENT AFTER DIY FIREWORKS GO WRONG
Tags: us_PA, public, fire, injury, explosives, fireworks, illegal

SEMI TRUCK CRASHES ON 127 IN CLINTON COUNTY, HAZMAT ON SCENE
Tags: us_MI, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical

CHEMICAL FIRMS SUFFERS OVER $7 MILLION DAMAGE FROM FACTORY FIRE
Tags: Taiwan, industrial, fire, response, drugs, pharmaceutical

FIRE IN CHEMICAL FACTORY, NO CASUALTIES
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

FIRE ERUPTS AT TEXTILE FACTORY IN GUJRANWALA
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSS NEXT STEPS FOLLOWING GAS SPILL NEAR LYONS
Tags: us_CO, transportation, follow-up, environmental, gasoline

UPDATED: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CREWS CALLED TO FALMOUTH
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, pool_chemicals

HOMES EVACUATED AFTER NATURAL GAS LEAK IN OTTAWA'S SOUTH END
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, natural_gas

ROYAL NAVY BOMB DISPOSAL TEAM EXPLODE TOXIC CHEMICAL FOUND AT LAUNCESTON COLLEGE
Tags: United_Kingdom, education, explosion, response, waste

HASTINGS ACTS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AT HIGH HAZARD FACILITIES
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, petroleum

DEVELOPING: 4 TREATED FOR CONTAMINATION IN HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL LEAK AT PARSIPPANY MED SUPPLIER
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

FIRE ABOARD ‰??X-PRESS PEARL‰?? CONTROLLED TO A GREAT EXTENT
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, response, unknown_chemical

ECHA UPDATING GUIDANCE CONCERNING REACH INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NANOFORMS
Tags: Europe, public, discovery, environmental, nanoparticles

REPURPOSING AN INTRODUCTORY ORGANIC AND INORGANIC LABORATORY COURSE FROM THE FOCUS ON TEACHING THEORY TO THE FOCUS ON TEACHING PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, environmental

RESEARCH ON THE RISK OF THERMAL RUNAWAY IN THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESS OF STYRENE SOLUTION POLYMERIZATION
Tags: China, industrial, discovery, environmental, styrene


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SRI LANKAN OFFICIALS ORDER BURNING BOXSHIP OUT TO SEA
https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/sri-lankan-officials-order-burning-boxship-out-to-sea
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, response, fire_extinguisher, nitric_acid

Environmental authorities in Sri Lanka have ordered the still-burning container ship X-Press Pearl to leave the nation's waters as a precautionary measure.

The fire aboard the X-Press Pearl broke out on Thursday as she waited at anchor about 10 nm off the coast of the port of Colombo. The Sri Lankan Navy responded, sending two patrol vessels and one fast attack craft. Two tugs from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) joined the efforts. In a novel addition, the crew of a Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter bombarded the fire with sacks of dry chemical powder extinguishing agent.

As of Saturday, the fire aboard the X-Press Pearl was not yet entirely contained, Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) confirmed. The two tugboats from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority are still engaged in fire suppression and cooling efforts, but - as is often the case with container fires - fully extinguishing the seat of the blaze is proving challenging.

As it continues to smolder, MEPA has expressed concern about the potential risk to the marine environment from the vessel's fuel and from some of the cargo, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid. The agency sent aboard a team to investigate the potential cause of the fire last week, and it said in a statement Friday that it believes a chemical reaction was the root cause of the blaze.

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

TEXAS LAWMAKERS PASS NEW REGULATIONS ON CHEMICAL TANKS
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/05/23/texas-chemical-tanks/
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, environmental, petroleum, waste

In March 2019, a massive chemical fire broke out after a leak at a chemical tank farm in Deer Park spread to almost a dozen other tanks.

A plume of smoke soon loomed over the Houston skyline and lingered there for three days. Residents of Deer Park were forced to shelter in place due to air pollution hazards, the Houston Ship Channel closed for three days, and millions of gallons of hazardous waste spilled on the ground and leaked into the water.

That chemical fire at Intercontinental Terminals Company‰??s facility also rekindled a debate at the Legislature about the state‰??s rapidly growing petrochemical industry, much of it in communities along the Texas Gulf Coast. Thousands of such tanks, typically made of steel plates, are in the Houston area alone, and state lawmakers had already become concerned after at least 15 tanks holding crude oil, gasoline and other hydrocarbons ruptured or malfunctioned during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.


Yet the 2019 legislative session ended without new regulations.

Two years later, the Legislature is nearing approval of Senate Bill 900 authored by state Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, which will create new standards on the type of tanks that put so many people in her district at risk two years ago. It passed the Senate late last month and late Sunday night it received preliminary approval by the House.

‰??I‰??m very proud of this bill,‰?? Alvarado said. She said it took a long time to negotiate the bill with industry groups, but high-profile incidents like the ITC fire in her district forced the conversation.

‰??They knew I was going to be calling,‰?? she said. ‰??There were too many of these things that had occurred.‰??

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BARTO LANDING CLOSED DUE TO ONGOING HAZMAT RESPONSE
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/barto-landing-closed-due-to-ongoing-hazmat-response/
Tags: us_IL, public, release, response, petroleum

SPRING VALLEY, Ill. (WMBD) ‰?? Barto Landing has been closed due to an ongoing hazmat response Saturday morning.

According to a press release from the Bureau County Emergency Management Agency(EMA), an unknown subject released motor oil at Barto Landing around 5 a.m. The oil then traveled into the channel of the Illinois River.

For the safety of the public, the landing will remain closed until clean up and mitigation can be completed.

Spring Valley Fire Department requested help from Bureau County EMA, Spring Valley Police, Illinois State Police, IDNR, Illinois EPA, Mabas 25 & 39 Hazardous Materials Team, U.S. Coast Guard, and IEMA.

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HAZMAT: 6 REPORT DIFFICULTY BREATHING IN MONTCO DRUG LAB LEAK
https://dailyvoice.com/pennsylvania/montgomery/police-fire/hazmat-6-report-difficulty-breathing-in-montco-drug-lab-leak/809489/
Tags: us_PA, laboratory, release, response, drugs

Crews responded to a Montgomery County home on reports of people having difficulty breathing due to an acid leak coming from a drug lab in the basement, officials said.

Fire and HazMat teams were dispatched to the home at 129 4th Avenue in Pennsburg sometime just before 4 p.m., Emergency Dispatch Services said.

Five people refused treatment while one was taken to St. Luke‰??s Quakertown for difficulty breathing, officials said.

Authorities found materials to make drugs in a locker in the basement, dispatch services said. It was unclear if anything was being made.

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MAJOR FIRE ON SHIP CARRYING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS OFF COLOMBO PORT
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210523/news/major-fire-on-ship-carrying-dangerous-chemicals-off-colombo-port-444791.html
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, response, unknown_chemical

Sri Lanka Air Force, Navy and Ports Authority firefighters were yesterday battling a major fire off the Colombo Port on a Singaporean vessel carrying chemicals.

A senior navy official said the intensity of the fire was increasing after leakage of the chemicals inside the vessel.

However, 25 crew members including Indians and Chinese were still on board and were out of danger, Commodore Indika Silva said.

He said the vessel was 9.5 nautical miles off the Colombo Port and around the Uswetakeiywa area in Wattala.

The vessel ‰??X-Press Pearl‰?? had sailed from the north Indian Port of Gujarat and was enroute to Singapore via Colombo when it was caught in a storm leading to damages to the chemical containers. The fire broke out when the vessel was anchored off the Colombo Port where it was due to unload 500 containers and reload 600 containers from Colombo.

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

CHEMICAL-LOADED CONTAINER GUTTED AT CHATTOGRAM PORT
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/country/chemical-loaded-container-gutted-at-chattogram-port-1621746097
Tags: China, transportation, fire, response, flammables

A container loaded with chemicals was gutted at Chittagong Port on Saturday morning. However, no casualties were reported.

Port sources said, the MV Cape Orient container, loaded with Sodium Per Carbonate, was imported from China on May 9.

The container caught fire near Gate No 4 at Yard No 8 at around 9:00 am on Saturday. The chemical in the container was completely gutted due to the high temperature.


Firefighters from Nimtola rushed to the spot and controlled the fire at around 11:00 am.

Later, Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel and Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) shifted the container to a safer place.

The inflammable chemical-loaded container was not kept properly and safely in the high summer temperature after it was unloaded from a ship at Yard-8.

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

AAI TEAM PLAYS CRUCIAL ROLE IN EXTINGUISHING FIRE AT CHEMICAL FACTORY
https://www.thehitavada.com/Encyc/2021/5/23/AAI-team-plays-crucial-role-in-extinguishing-fire-at-chemical-factory.html
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, gasoline

The team of Firemen from Airport Authority of India (AAI) of Raipur Airport played the most crucial role in extinguishing the inferno at a chemical factory at Birgaon. According to the report, around 5:30 pm on May 21, Swami Vivekananda Airport authority got report of the massive fire in Columbia Petrol Chemical establishment. Since the State Fire Brigade doesn‰??t have foam tenders, they requested the SVA authority for foam tender. Since the flight movement at SVA is reduced from 26 to just06 and one fire truck wasn‰??t in use. Considering the emergency, SVA Director directed Airport Fire Tender truck to set off to the sight of incident.

The crew of firemen reached the spot under the direction of shift In- charge and supported the firefighting efforts of the state fire brigade. After a five and a half hour of fire fighting, the firemen succeeded in extinguishing the massive fire. The team of firemen was comprised of Senior Superintendent T B Digal, Superintendent B K Sahu, Superintendent Iqbal Singh, Supervisor M K Parmar, Assistant Shravan, Assistant B Praveen, Assistant Abhishek Raj, senior assistant Vikrant Kaushik and senior assistant Dinesh Singh.

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

EXPLOSION AND FIRE REPORTED NEAR ESFAHAN, CENTRAL IRAN
https://iranintl.com/en/iran-in-brief/explosion-and-fire-reported-near-esfahan-central-iran
Tags: Iran, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

Social media reports and one news website say an explosion took place early on Sunday in Shahin Shahr, near Esfahan, in central Iran. Mehr state news agency reported at least nine people were injured.

"The reason for the explosion at the Sepahan Nargostar chemical industry is under investigation while nine injured people have been transferred to hospital," spokesman Abbas Abedi of the province's medical emergency center was quoted as saying by Mehr.

Residents reported on social media(link is external) that a strong explosion shook homes in the area. Some people said they first thought an earthquake had hit the area. ‰??There was a huge sound of explosion. It was terrifying,‰?? one user who did not specify her exact location reported in a tweet.

Another person tweeted that ‰??No, it was not an earthquake, something crashed down‰??. No independent source has verified the exact location of the incident.

In the past one year numerous mysterious explosions and fires have occurred at various military, nuclear and industrial sites in Iran that have been attributed to possible sabotage. Two explosions at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility last July and this year were clearly the result of sabotage.

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

LEACHATE SPILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AT BETHLEHEM LANDFILL COULD BE LARGEST IN N.H.
https://www.nhpr.org/post/leachate-spill-under-investigation-bethlehem-landfill-could-be-largest-nh-0#stream/0
Tags: us_NH, industrial, release, response, metals, waste

The state is investigating what may be its largest-ever spill of leachate from a landfill ‰??the North Country Environmental Services facility in Bethlehem, owned by Vermont waste company Casella.

The state Department of Environmental Services says the incident began late on May 1, a Friday, and lasted until the following Monday.

Operators arrived to find that a leachate tank had been overflowing all weekend, spilling as much as 154,000 gallons of what‰??s often called ‰??garbage juice.‰??

The landfill does not accept trash on weekends and was not staffed while the overflow occurred, according to the state.

Leachate is a combination of rain and liquid garbage, contaminated with heavy metals and other chemicals, which percolates through solid waste at landfills. It‰??s usually pumped into holding tanks, then into trucks that haul it to wastewater treatment plants.

In this case, the state and Casella say they believe an automated signal failed to fire when a leachate holding tank were full ‰?? meaning the liquid kept trying to pump into the tank with nowhere to go.

The tank overflowed, and the leachate traveled through an obsolete pipe that the state says Casella should have decommissioned after a recent expansion.

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

U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD
http://www.idevmail.net/message.aspx?d=86&m=2215&e=ralph**At_Symbol_Here**rstuartcih.org&r=15879704
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, response, hydrogen_sulfide

May 21, 2021, Washington, D.C. -- Today the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released its final report and associated materials into the October 26, 2019, hydrogen sulfide release at the Aghorn Operating waterflood station in Odessa, Texas (CSB No. 2020-01-I-TX).

The Aghorn investigation file can now be located in the Closed Investigations section of the CSB‰??s website, and includes:

Video of Board Meeting
Staff presentations, to include overview of incident and outcomes
Chairman Opening and Closing Statements
Final Report

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

FBI CALLED TO PA APARTMENT AFTER DIY FIREWORKS GO WRONG
https://dailyvoice.com/pennsylvania/cumberland/news/fbi-called-to-pa-apartment-after-diy-fireworks-go-wrong/809424/
Tags: us_PA, public, fire, injury, explosives, fireworks, illegal

A Mechanicsburg man is facing a weapons of mass destruction charge after a failed attempt to make fireworks, say police.

Johnathan Park, 33, was arrested after he attempted to make fireworks on his bed in his apartment in 500 block of Geneva Drive, according to police.

Upper Allen Township police and fire were called to the apartment complex for reports of a burn victim around 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

Upon arrival crews found that Park's bed caught fire while he was attempting to making homemade fireworks.

Neighborings in the complex were evacuated.

Park's apartment had explosives and explosive material that was not properly stored-- endangering his neighbors.

More than 24-hours later police cleared the scene, deeming the complex safe on Thursday, May 20, at 1:30 a.m., according to a statement by police.

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

SEMI TRUCK CRASHES ON 127 IN CLINTON COUNTY, HAZMAT ON SCENE
https://www.wlns.com/news/michigan/liquid-nitrogen-spills-on-127-in-clinton-county-closes-both-direction/
Tags: us_MI, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical

CLINTON COUNTY, Mich. (WLNS) ‰?? A hazmat situation occurred on 127 near Taft Rd. just south of St. Johns. The incident took place around 11:30 a.m. and the highway is closed in both directions.

A semi-truck was carrying hazardous materials rolled over. Lansing hazmat was on the scene and officials asked for 800 yards of distance on both sides.

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

CHEMICAL FIRMS SUFFERS OVER $7 MILLION DAMAGE FROM FACTORY FIRE
https://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20210521/STORY/912341991/Chemical-firms-suffers-over-$7-million-damage-from-factory-fire
Tags: Taiwan, industrial, fire, response, drugs, pharmaceutical

A fire at Taiwan-based Standard Chemical & Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.‰??s subsidiary in Tainan City on May 20 caused an estimated 200 million Taiwanese dollar ($7.2 million) in property losses, Focus Taiwan reported. The subsidiary Syn-Tech Chem & Pharm Co. Ltd. is also facing a fine of TWD825,000 from the city government for causing environmental pollution, as high pollutant emissions from the factory fire affected the air quality in Hsinying and Houbi districts in Tainan and neighboring Chiayi County.

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

FIRE IN CHEMICAL FACTORY, NO CASUALTIES
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/state-editions/fire-in-chemical-factory--no-casualties.html
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

A major fire in a chemical factory in Raipur‰??s Bhanpuri area on Friday gutted goods worth crores of rupees but there were no casualties, police said on Friday.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) (City) Lakhan Pawar Patle said the factory belongs to Columbia Petro Chemicals and is located in the Bhanpuri Industrial Area.

Eight to 10 fire tenders battled the flames, he said. There are no casualties, he added.

The fire was put out after four-five hours. The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.

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

FIRE ERUPTS AT TEXTILE FACTORY IN GUJRANWALA
https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/602623-Fire-erupts-at-textile-factory-in-Gujranwala
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

GUJRANWALA (Dunya News) ‰?? Fire broke out at a textile factory located in the Attawa area of Gujranwala on Friday night which spread very quickly to the other parts of the factory, Dunya News reported.

Fire brigade and rescue teams reached the spot after getting information and started operation to bring the fire under control. Sources said that 15 fire tenders and 46 fire fighters took part in the operation and brought the fire under control after a hectic effort of three hours.

According to rescue sources, the fire spread to different parts of the factory due to presence of large quantity of cloth and chemical. Rescue sources also said that the cause of fire is not yet known.

No casualty was reported in the incident. However, cloth, chemicals and other valuables worth millions of rupees were reduced to ashes due to blaze.

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

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSS NEXT STEPS FOLLOWING GAS SPILL NEAR LYONS
https://www.dailycamera.com/2021/05/20/local-organizations-discuss-next-steps-following-gas-spill-near-lyons/
Tags: us_CO, transportation, follow-up, environmental, gasoline

After gasoline spilled from a semi tanker late last month and seeped into the North St. Vrain Creek, local responders said the work to clean up and restore the area after the crash is not over.

‰??I want to make it clear that this is an ongoing investigation ‰?? we‰??re not done,‰?? said Melynda May, of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. ‰??We‰??re focusing on impacts to fish, aquatic invertebrates and algae.‰??

On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency, Boulder County Public Health, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado Public Health hosted a virtual update to discuss the gas spill that occurred April 27.

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

UPDATED: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CREWS CALLED TO FALMOUTH
https://www.capecod.com/cape-wide-news/hazardous-materials-crews-called-to-falmouth/
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, pool_chemicals

FALMOUTH ‰?? Falmouth Fire-Rescue reports that just before 7 PM Thursday evening Engine 25 and Ambulance 37 were dispatched to a Red Brook Road residence for a possible hazardous materials incident. One occupant had been preparing pool chemicals. During the preparation, a vapor cloud formed. Engine 25 on arrival found all occupants out of the house. An initial investigation found some remaining chemical vapor. Crews secured the scene and requested a response from the Department of Fire Services HAZMAT team. Upon the team‰??s arrival, members entered the building and mitigated the chemicals. The structure has been vented and the area is safe. At no time did this pose a threat to neighboring homes.

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HOMES EVACUATED AFTER NATURAL GAS LEAK IN OTTAWA'S SOUTH END
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/homes-evacuated-after-natural-gas-leak-in-ottawa-s-south-end-1.5437301
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, natural_gas

OTTAWA -- Some homes have been evacuated after a natural gas leak in Ottawa's Hunt Club neighbourhood.

Ottawa fire dispatch received a call at 2:30 p.m. reporting a gas leak at the intersection of Uplands Drive and Paul Anka Drive.

Ottawa fire says firefighters discovered a large diameter gas line was leaking underground, causing the roadway to "heave up in the air and blowing dust into the air."


A small number of residences downwind of the leak were evacuated as a precaution, while other residents in the neighbourhood were told to close their doors.

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

ROYAL NAVY BOMB DISPOSAL TEAM EXPLODE TOXIC CHEMICAL FOUND AT LAUNCESTON COLLEGE
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/royal-navy-bomb-disposal-team-5438636
Tags: United_Kingdom, education, explosion, response, waste

The Royal Navy bomb squad has carried out a controlled explosion at a Cornwall secondary school today after a hazardous substance was located.

Reports were coming in at around midday of a large explosion heard in the Launceston area. People described the explosion as "so loud" that it "shook houses" and "startled" them. Some thought it came from the direction of the A30.

A Royal Navy bomb disposal vehicle and police vehicle were also spotted at Launceston College, a secondary school and sixth form on Hurdon Road.

A spokesperson for the Royal Navy has now confirmed that the SDU 1 bomb disposal unit based in Devonport, Plymouth, attended the school to destroy an old bottle of a dangerous and toxic substance that staff had found in storage.

You can stay up to date on the top news and events near you with CornwallLive‰??s FREE newsletters ‰?? enter your email address at the top of the page.

Teams were able to explode the substance - known as Dess‰??Martin periodinane (DMP) - on the school field.

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HASTINGS ACTS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AT HIGH HAZARD FACILITIES
https://www.illinoissenatedemocrats.com/caucus-news/32-senator-michael-e-hastings-news/2429-hastings-acts-to-prevent-accidents-at-high-hazard-facilities
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, petroleum

SPRINGFIELD ‰?? Workers at high hazard facilities could soon be required to undergo advanced safety training thanks to legislation passed by the Senate Executive Committee yesterday.

State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) is the chief sponsor of this initiative.

‰??Safety training is crucial at every job site, but the need at facilities where workers are handling dangerous substances is especially prudent,‰?? Hastings said. ‰??Those who have gone through proper training are statistically less likely to be at risk of making a mistake that could result in an accident. We cannot afford to lose lives on the job site due to neglect, and we certainly cannot afford to let these dangerous chemicals seep into our communities.‰??

This initiative is a response to a 2012 Chevron refinery explosion and subsequent fire in Richmond, Cal. According to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, approximately 15,000 people from the surrounding communities sought medical treatment at nearby medical facilities for ailments including breathing problems, chest pain, shortness of breath, sore throat, and headaches following the incident. Approximately 20 of these people were admitted to local hospitals as inpatients for treatment.

Under House Bill 3437, the Illinois Department of Labor would be required to develop a curriculum of approved advanced safety training for workers at high hazard facilities. These building and construction contractors would be required to pay prevailing wage and use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all onsite work at petroleum refining facilities, petrochemical manufacturing facilities, ethyl alcohol manufacturing facilities, and basic organic chemical manufacturing facilities. If these contractors fail to do so, they could face a monetary penalty.

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DEVELOPING: 4 TREATED FOR CONTAMINATION IN HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL LEAK AT PARSIPPANY MED SUPPLIER
https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/morris/police-fire/developing-4-treated-for-contamination-in-hazardous-chemical-leak-at-parsippany-med-supplier/809377/
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

Four patients were treated for contamination and one hospitalized after a hazardous chemical leak at a Morris County medical supply center, according to initial reports.

The Morris County Haz-Mat unit responded with several EMS crews and the county medical ambulance bus to 10 Pomeroy Rd. in Parsippany shortly before 3 p.m., according to initial and unconfirmed reports.

The address shows on Google Maps as Zimmer Biomet, a medical supplier of products for joint reconstruction, skeletal repair, spine and dental reconstruction.

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FIRE ABOARD ‰??X-PRESS PEARL‰?? CONTROLLED TO A GREAT EXTENT
https://www.newsfirst.lk/2021/05/21/fire-aboard-x-press-pearl-controlled-to-a-great-extent-navy/
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, response, unknown_chemical

COLOMBO (News 1st); The fire aboard the container ship ‰??X-PRESS PEARL‰?? was controlled to a great extent, said Navy Spokesperson Captain Indika De Silva on Friday (21).

He said yellow smoke was observed on Thursday (20) from one area of the vessel and it was determined the smoke was the result of a chemical reaction between chemicals aboard the vessel and rainwater.

A fire broke out aboard the vessel later on Thursday (20) and the Sri Lanka Navy dispatched 02 Offshore Patrol Vessels, Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) Sagara, SLNS Sindurala and a Fast Attack Craft to the scene of fire.

Further 01Tug from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is engaged in firefighting efforts as of now.

The container ship was in anchorage about 9.5 nautical miles northwest of Colombo harbour as the incident was reported.

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ECHA UPDATING GUIDANCE CONCERNING REACH INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NANOFORMS
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/echa-updating-guidance-concerning-reach-4710078/
Tags: Europe, public, discovery, environmental, nanoparticles

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is in the process of updating its guidance on the information requirements and chemical safety assessment (IR&CSA) for nanoforms under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. ECHA has developed three appendices concerning information requirements (appendices to IR&CSA Guidance Chapters R.7a, R.7b, and R.7c) to provide advice to registrants for use when preparing REACH registration dossiers that cover nanoforms. ECHA is updating two of the appendices, Appendix R7-1 to Chapter R.7a and Appendix R7-2 to Chapter R.7c. The draft update states that the advice provided focuses on specific recommendations for testing materials that are nanoforms of substances. Annex VI defines the terms ‰??nanoform‰?? and ‰??set of similar nanoforms‰?? and establishes the requirements for characterization of the identified nanoforms/sets of similar nanoforms of the substance. According to the draft upda!
te, part of the advice provided is not strictly nanoform specific and may also be applicable to other particulate forms of substances (e.g., relevance of dissolution rate). The draft update notes that when such advice has been included, ‰??it is because it is considered especially relevant for nanoforms and should be part of the nanoform specific guidance.‰?? In the absence of any suitable specific provision (either because the endpoint is not relevant for nanoforms, because the guidance already provided is considered to be equally applicable to nanoforms as to non-nanoforms, or because more research or adaptation is needed before developing advice), no additional guidance for the information requirement has been included.

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REPURPOSING AN INTRODUCTORY ORGANIC AND INORGANIC LABORATORY COURSE FROM THE FOCUS ON TEACHING THEORY TO THE FOCUS ON TEACHING PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01210
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, environmental

A traditional laboratory course with the primary learning outcome of improving students‰?? theoretical knowledge has received much criticism over the years due to the lack of evidence that these goals have achieved. We report our efforts to redesign a traditional first-year organic and inorganic (also known as synthetic) laboratory course from having a focus on teaching theory to the development of practical skills. With better alignment between the core learning outcomes of the course and the type of experiments embedded into the curriculum, we report that the redesigned course improved students‰?? practical skills from a number of measures, including students‰?? grades pre- and postcourse and from students‰?? self-assessment of core skills in synthetic chemistry.

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RESEARCH ON THE RISK OF THERMAL RUNAWAY IN THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESS OF STYRENE SOLUTION POLYMERIZATION
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.oprd.0c00554
Tags: China, industrial, discovery, environmental, styrene

Polymerization reactions are exothermic processes that are often accompanied by viscosity changes, and they can pose hazards due to thermal runaway. This paper describes an investigation of the potential for thermal runaway in the industrial process of styrene solution polymerization, in which particular focus was devoted to the effects of the monomer concentration and the solvent. As the monomer concentration increased from 20.0 to 50.0 wt %, the heat of reaction Qr and the adiabatic temperature rise ë?Tad increased in a linear manner from 19.0 å± 0.2 to 58.1 å± 0.6 kJ and 21.7 å± 0.1 to 64.8 å± 0.6 K, respectively, and the maximum temperature attained by the synthesis reaction (MTSR) was also increased from 86.1 å± 0.2 to 101.5 å± 0.2 å¡C. In addition, the molecular weight distribution of polystyrene was around 1.9, and the distribution was broad. The risk of a potential runaway reaction was evaluated using the Stoessel assessment criteria and Zurich Hazard Analysis. The c!
riticality of runaway polymerization remained constant with increasing concentration, and class 1 risk was observed. However, the severity of a potential runaway reaction was increased from negligible to medium class. It was found that the solvent had an important effect on the risk of thermal runaway during polymerization. The criticality of the high-boiling solvents toluene and cyclohexanone used in this work was class 1, while that of the low-boiling solvent ethyl acetate was class 3. This work provides valuable insight that can help to control thermal risk in the chemical industry.

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