From: CHAS membership <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (11 articles)
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2021 08:35:24 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, June 4, 2021 at 8:35:02 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)

CRASH WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILL CLOSES PORTION OF BANGERTER HIGHWAY IN WEST JORDAN
Tags: us_UT, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical

HUNDREDS IN WOOD RIVER, ILL. ASKED TO SHELTER IN PLACE ANOTHER NIGHT AS RAIL CARS VENT DANGEROUS CHEMICAL INTO THE AIR
Tags: us_IL, transportation, release, response, sulfuric_acid

IFD CLEANS UP NITRIC ACID CHEMICAL REACTION ON INDY'S NORTHEAST SIDE
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, nitric_acid

STENCH FROM BURNING METAL-WASTE SHIP BLOWS ACROSS HK
Tags: Hong_Kong, transportation, fire, response, metals, waste

MAHARASHTRA: GAS LEAK FROM CHEMICAL FACTORY IN BADLAPUR CREATES PANIC; SITUATION UNDER CONTROL
Tags: India, industrial, release, response, sulfuric_acid

MAN INDICTED ON CHARGES RELATED TO METH EXPLOSION AT BOARDMAN DA
Tags: us_OH, public, explosion, response, illegal, clandestine_lab

ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS: PRESENT CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Tags: Europe, public, discovery, environmental, ag_chems, pesticides

LAB FINDS BENZENE IN 78 SUNSCREENS AND SUN-CARE LOTIONS
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental, benzene

JIT FORMED TO PROBE ANCHORING OF SHIP WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIAL AT GADANI
Tags: Pakistan, transportation, discovery, environmental, mercury

SRI LANKA RACES TO AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER AFTER CHEMICAL CONTAINER SHIP SINKS
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, environmental, nitric_acid

HOUSE COMMITTEE SEEKS INFORMATION ON CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
Tags: us_WA, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical


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CRASH WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILL CLOSES PORTION OF BANGERTER HIGHWAY IN WEST JORDAN
https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/crash-closes-portion-of-bangerter-highway-in-west-jordan/
Tags: us_UT, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical

WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) ‰?? A crash has closed down a portion of Bangerter Highway.

Northbound Bangerter at 7800 S in West Jordan is closed as of 1:10 p.m. Thursday, according to the Utah Department of Transportation. Authorities say a hazardous materials spill has occurred.

Emergency crews can be seen on scene near 7000 South.

UDOT traffic cameras show multiple fire trucks on scene. It is unclear how many vehicles are involved.

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HUNDREDS IN WOOD RIVER, ILL. ASKED TO SHELTER IN PLACE ANOTHER NIGHT AS RAIL CARS VENT DANGEROUS CHEMICAL INTO THE AIR
https://fox2now.com/news/illinois/hundreds-in-wood-river-ill-asked-to-shelter-in-place-another-night-as-rail-cars-vent-dangerous-chemical-into-the-air/
Tags: us_IL, transportation, release, response, sulfuric_acid

WOOD RIVER, Ill. ‰?? The sulfuric acid incident in Wood River, Illinois drags into another night with almost 500 residents told to continue to shelter in place.

It began Wednesday afternoon. Julie Taylor checked on her cousin, who was sheltering in place.

‰??She‰??s a little nervous about what‰??s going on,‰?? she said.

Firefighters from both sides of the river doused over-pressurized train cars, which were venting spent sulfuric acid. Authorities said the air was safe to breathe but still advised people to stay inside and don‰??t turn on their air conditioners.

‰??It‰??s pretty warm inside her house right now it is really warm in there,‰?? Taylor said.

Inhaling the vapor can cause breathing problems. Tim Bond was still holding girls‰?? softball practice Thursday evening not too far from where the venting is occurring.

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IFD CLEANS UP NITRIC ACID CHEMICAL REACTION ON INDY'S NORTHEAST SIDE
https://news.yahoo.com/ifd-cleans-nitric-acid-chemical-180756899.html
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, nitric_acid

Indianapolis Fire Department hazmat crews worked the scene of a chemical spill, involving nitric acid, at Imagineering Finishing Technologies on the northeast side of Indianapolis on Thursday, June 3, 2021.

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STENCH FROM BURNING METAL-WASTE SHIP BLOWS ACROSS HK
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/11/230923/Stench-from-burning-metal-waste-ship-blows-across-HK
Tags: Hong_Kong, transportation, fire, response, metals, waste

A burning cargo ship full of scrap metal that sent billows of acrid smoke to many parts of Hong Kong has been put out after 15 hours, with fire and marine officers still probing the cause of the incident in waters off Tsing Yi near Stonecutters Island.

The strong smell and smoke triggered an influx of reports from people across the western part of the city as they mistook them for nearby fires.

Residents in Kwai Ching and Sham Shui Po and as far away as Sha Tin could smell the smoke.

The fire prompted calls for the government to reveal the types of chemicals released during the third-alarm fire and step up the warning mechanism when the level of suspended particles surge in similar incidents.

The Standard Channel

More>>


The Panama-registered 100-meter-long "Affluent Ocean," with 15 crew aboard, caught fire at around 5.30pm on Wednesday. The Fire Services Department upgraded the blaze to third alarm at 11pm. The fire was put under control at 8.20am yesterday.

No one was injured among the crew and the department has received no report of people feeling unwell from the smoke.

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MAHARASHTRA: GAS LEAK FROM CHEMICAL FACTORY IN BADLAPUR CREATES PANIC; SITUATION UNDER CONTROL
https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/maharashtra-gas-leak-from-chemical-factory-in-badlapur-creates-panic-situation-under-control-709133
Tags: India, industrial, release, response, sulfuric_acid

A gas leakage from a chemical factory in the Badlapur area in Maharashtra's Thane was reported on Thursday night, creating panic in the area.
People in the area were having trouble breathing.
According to Thane Municipal Corporation, the incident took place around 10:22 pm.

"A overheat caused a chemical reaction between sulfuric acid and benzyl acid in the company and caused a gas leak. People in the area were having trouble breathing and squinting their eyes," Thane Municipal Corporation said.
"The fire brigade rushed to the factory as soon as they received the information and the leakage was stopped around 11:24 pm. The situation is under control," it said.

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MAN INDICTED ON CHARGES RELATED TO METH EXPLOSION AT BOARDMAN DA
https://www.wfmj.com/story/44029243/man-indicted-on-charges-related-to-meth-explosion-at-boardman-days-inn
Tags: us_OH, public, explosion, response, illegal, clandestine_lab

A Youngstown man was indicted Thursday on charges after police say he caused an explosion while cooking meth in a Boardman hotel room.

Justin Bowman, 39, of Youngstown was indicted on charges of, Illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs, Illegal manufacture of drugs, aggravated arson, tampering with evidence, inducing panic, and aggravated possession of drugs.

Police say the Days Inn on South Avenue was evacuated on the morning of May 11 when smoke filled a hall and fire alarms blared.

Bowman told police that the food he was cooking on a hot plate caught fire.

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ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS: PRESENT CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
https://www.one2022.eu/endocrine-disruptors-present-challenges-and-future-directions
Tags: Europe, public, discovery, environmental, ag_chems, pesticides

At EU level, scientific criteria for the hazard identification of endocrine disruptors (EDs) are currently implemented for pesticides and biocides, only. The EU Fitness Check on ED legislation highlighted the need for a more horizontal approach to the identification of EDs across sectors, together with strengthened ED information requirements. Both screening of chemicals and decision-making for EDs are overdependent on the use of vertebrate data in general and, mammalian data, in particular. In the thematic session, we aim to cover advancements in the field of EDs; we also intend to use it as a forum for an open dialogue between regulatory and non-regulatory scientists and stakeholders to explore future opportunities to implement more interdisciplinary approaches to ED assessments in terms of testing and hazard identification. These avenues could include data generated by new technologies to reach quicker and better decisions on ED properties, for more chemicals on a cross-s!
ector basis, in line with the ‰??one substance-one assessment‰?? ambition of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. Overall, the session outcomes will help ensure preparedness for future challenges and shape future directions and possible collaborations.

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LAB FINDS BENZENE IN 78 SUNSCREENS AND SUN-CARE LOTIONS
https://cen.acs.org/business/consumer-products/Lab-finds-benzene-78-sunscreens/99/i21
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental, benzene

The independent analytical laboratory Valisure says it has found traces of benzene in sunscreen and after-sun-care products from a variety of manufacturers. Valisure has asked the US Food and Drug Administration to request recalls of the affected products and conduct investigations into the source of the contamination.
Benzene is a known carcinogen and has other toxic effects, primarily involving disruption to the creation and function of blood. The US bans it in the manufacture of drugs and cosmetics except when it is ‰??unavoidable in order to produce a drug product with a significant therapeutic advance.‰?? Even then, it is restricted to 2 parts per million (ppm). In drinking water and groundwater, the US Environmental Protection Agency has set a maximum level of 0.005 ppm and a goal of zero.
In Valisure‰??s analysis, conducted by chromatography and mass spectrometry, benzene appeared at 2.78‰??6.26 ppm in 14 samples of sunscreen and after-sun-care products. Another 26 samples had levels between 0.11 and 1.99 ppm, and 38 others showed benzene at < 0.1 ppm.
The company found benzene in chemical sunscreens, which use organic molecules such as avobenzone and homosalate to absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as well as physical sunscreens, which use inorganic compounds like zinc oxide to reflect UV rays. Sprays are heavily represented in the highest benzene concentration bracket, but gels and creams appear there as well. Valisure CEO David Light stresses that the firm found no benzene in more than 200 other samples and that sunscreen is an important safety measure.
Neutrogena and Banana Boat, both of which have several products in the two highest-benzene brackets, tell C&EN that they do not use benzene as an ingredient or in the manufacturing of their products and that they are reviewing Valisure‰??s results. BASF and DSM, two manufacturers of sunscreen active ingredients, didn‰??t respond to requests for comment.
Light says his lab recently added benzene to its standard contaminant screens, which it performs on medicines and other products for retail pharmacies and other clients. ‰??Honestly, I thought it‰??d be a waste of time,‰?? he says. ‰??Benzene has been banned in industry for decades. There‰??s no argument about how toxic and carcinogenic it is,‰?? he adds. ‰??I was quite shocked we were finding it at all.‰??

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JIT FORMED TO PROBE ANCHORING OF SHIP WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIAL AT GADANI
https://dailytimes.com.pk/766086/jit-formed-to-probe-anchoring-of-ship-with-hazardous-material-at-gadani/
Tags: Pakistan, transportation, discovery, environmental, mercury

The federal government on Wednesday formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the anchoring of a ship containing hazardous chemicals at Gadani ship-breaking yard.

According to details, the JIT comprising senior officials of seven different departments, including Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), will probe into the matter in order to fix the responsibility.

The JIT will conclude its investigations within 10 day and will submit its report to the federal government. The JIT has started its investigations and sought concerned documents from the officials of the ship.

Earlier on May 26, the work on dismantling the ship containing hazardous material was stopped and Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency (BEPA) sealed the plot where it was anchored.

According to details, the ship was denied permission by India and Bangladesh due to the dangerous content inside it, which poses a serious threat to the environment, but it was allowed to enter Pakistani waters despite a clear warning by Interpol.

On April 22, Interpol had asked the Pakistan Interpol and Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) to not allow the ship into Pakistan. It contains 1,500 tonnes of mercury mixed oil. In Mumbai, the name of the ship was changed from FS Ordient to Cherish. After changing the name, the ship reached Karachi from Mumbai on April 21.

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SRI LANKA RACES TO AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER AFTER CHEMICAL CONTAINER SHIP SINKS
https://globalnews.ca/news/7917071/sri-lanka-chemical-ship-sinks-environment/
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, fire, environmental, nitric_acid

Authorities in Sri Lanka were trying to head off a potential environmental disaster Thursday as a fire-damaged container ship that had been carrying chemicals was sinking off of the country‰??s main port.

The Singapore-flagged MV X-Press Pearl started sinking Wednesday, a day after authorities extinguished fire that raged on the vessel for 12 days. Efforts to tow the ship into deeper waters away from the port in Colombo failed after the ship‰??s stern became submerged and rested on the seabed.

The ship‰??s operators X-Press Feeders have said the fire destroyed most of the ship‰??s cargo, which included 25 tons of nitric acid and other chemicals. But there are fears that remaining chemicals as well as hundreds of tons of oil from the vessel‰??s fuel tanks could leak into the sea if it sinks.

Such a disaster could devastate marine life and further pollute the island nation‰??s famed beaches. The disaster has already caused debris ‰?? including several tons of plastic pellets used to make plastic bags ‰?? to wash a ashore.

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HOUSE COMMITTEE SEEKS INFORMATION ON CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/21307-house-committee-seeks-information-on-chemical-safety-board-management-challenges
Tags: us_WA, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

Washington ‰?? Concerned about recent reports highlighting various difficulties that ‰??may be undermining‰?? the Chemical Safety Board‰??s ‰??ability to protect American communities and workers,‰?? a bipartisan delegation from the House Energy and Commerce Committee is calling on the agency to provide numerous operational and procedural updates.

In a letter dated May 20 and sent to CSB Chair and CEO Katherine Lemos, Committee Chair Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and four fellow lawmakers reference the committee‰??s ‰??jurisdiction over chemical safety and the CSB.‰?? Citing findings from recent reports from the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General, the authors express concern over ‰??insufficient staffing for investigations, investigation backlogs, tensions among board members and employee dissatisfaction,‰?? among other publicized challenges stemming from management concerns.

‰??We want to ensure that the CSB has the tools it needs during this time of transition to conduct and complete its important investigations,‰?? the letter states.

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