From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (15 articles)
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2021 06:13:33 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: D9603F53-4293-4617-BC3E-FA21B3BD6D9C**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, July 5, 2021 at 6:13:19 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 (15 articles)

NORTH TONAWANDA POLICE INVESTIGATING AFTER FINDING EXPLOSIVE DEVICES IN APARTMENT
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, injury, explosives, illegal

WINNEBAGO COUNTY SURVEYING HEALTH OF PEOPLE NEAR ILLINOIS CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE IN ROCKTON
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

HUGE EXPLOSION, FIRE AT CHEMICAL FACTORY, 21 INJURED
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

THE LONG ROAD TO SUSTAINABLE LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES
Tags: United_Kingdom, transportation, discovery, environmental, batteries

HAZMAT UNIT SCRAMBLED TO TACKLE LEAK FROM CHEMICAL TANK IN JOHOR
Tags: Malaysia, industrial, release, response, hydrogen_peroxide

PUNE: COURT REJECTS BAIL PLEA OF CHEMICAL FACTORY OWNER IN FATAL BLAZE CASE
Tags: India, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical

GULF OF MEXICO OCEAN FIRE EXTINGUISHED AFTER PEMEX PIPELINE RUPTURE
Tags: Mexico, industrial, fire, response, natural_gas

TWO PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED AFTER FIREFIGHTERS, HAZMAT PERSONNEL RESPOND TO HERMISTON MOTEL
Tags: us_OR, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

LEBANESE JUDGE SEEKS TO PROSECUTE SENIOR OFFICIALS OVER BEIRUT BLAST
Tags: Lebanon, public, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate

FIRE CREWS RESPOND TO HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SPILL IN ANKENY
Tags: us_IA, transportation, release, response, peroxide

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION STARTS FIRE AT FORMER PIZZA JOINT IN NH
Tags: us_NH, public, fire, response, dye

INHERENTLY SAFER SCALE-UP OF OZONOLYSIS IN CONTINUOUS FLOW UNDER PRESSURE: CASE STUDY ON ë2-PINENE
Tags: France, industrial, discovery, environmental, ozone

FIRE CREWS RESPONDING TO MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR HAZMAT SITUATION ‰?? BOSTON 25 NEWS
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, liquid_nitrogen, nitrogen

ILLINOIS EPA CALLS FOR LEGAL ACTION AGAINST CORPORATIONS IN DOWNTOWN MORRIS BATTERY FIRE
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, batteries, runoff, waste

WINNEBAGO COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS WANT DATA ON CHEMTOOL FIRE EXPOSURE
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical


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NORTH TONAWANDA POLICE INVESTIGATING AFTER FINDING EXPLOSIVE DEVICES IN APARTMENT
https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/law-enforcement-close-portion-of-tremont-street-in-north-tonawanda-niagara-county/71-3747cad4-4ed8-49c7-9360-df92277e10de
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, injury, explosives, illegal

NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. ‰?? A North Tonawanda man suffered burns to his hands and face, and crews from multiple law enforcement agencies shut down a street to investigate.
The city's police department said it was called to 232 Tremont Street to check on a structure fire. Officers noticed a large amount of smoke coming from the apartment in question.

The resident, Daniel Benchik, told responding officers that he had burned food in the kitchen. Officers noted burns on his hands and face and that he needed medical attention. No one else was injured.
North Tonawanda detectives say they spotted several suspicious items at the scene, at which point the Niagara County Drug Task Force, Erie County Bomb Squad, Niagara County Hazmat, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were all called in to help investigate.
Benchik received treatment for his injuries. Charges are pending, and the investigation is ongoing.
Police say they recovered several explosive devices from the apartment but did not elaborate on their construction.

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WINNEBAGO COUNTY SURVEYING HEALTH OF PEOPLE NEAR ILLINOIS CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE IN ROCKTON
https://abc7chicago.com/rockton-chemical-plant-fire-explosion-winnebago-county/10859658/
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

ROCKTON, Ill. -- Health officials are asking people affected by an Illinois chemical plant explosion to share their experiences, including whether they've experienced new or worsening health problems.

The Winnebago County Health Department is conducting the survey about the June 13 Chemtool plant fire in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the Rockford Register Star reported.

The fire near Rockton in northern Illinois sent black smoke into the sky for days and prompted the evacuation of hundreds of homes. No one was injured.

The voluntary survey is available online until July 15.

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HUGE EXPLOSION, FIRE AT CHEMICAL FACTORY, 21 INJURED
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2143619/huge-explosion-at-chemical-factory-in-samut-prakan
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

SAMUT PRAKAN: A huge explosion and fire destroyed a factory producing plastic foam and plastic pellets and caused extensive damage to surrounding communities in Bang Phli district early Monday morning

Twenty-one people were confirmed injured, officials and rescue foundations reported. The toll was not final.

The fire was initially believed brought under control around dawn, but black smoke continued to billow into the sky late in the morning.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department and Bang Phli district office ordered the urgent evacuation of all people within a five-kilometre radius. There were worries there could be more explosions as the core fire was moving towards another area used to store chemicals.

There are five or six warehouses in the factory compound, where 50 tonnes of chemicals were reported to be stored.

The explosion occurred about 2.50am at the Ming Dih Chemical factory in Soi King Kaew 21 at Moo 15 village in tambon Rachathewa.

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THE LONG ROAD TO SUSTAINABLE LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES
https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-long-road-to-sustainable-lithium-ion-batteries/4013838.article
Tags: United_Kingdom, transportation, discovery, environmental, batteries

Lithium-ion batteries could save the planet from petrol-driven cars, but do the batteries themselves live up to their sustainable reputation? Katharine Sanderson investigates efforts to make batteries better

By 2050 up to 1 billion vehicles on the roads will be powered by electricity, around 72 times more than in 2020. The electrified fleet could see an end to gas-guzzlers, smoggy cities and the stench of petrol fumes. These vehicles will be powered by lithium-ion rechargeable batteries.

But lithium-ion batteries have their own sustainability problems. As the demand for electric vehicles balloons in the coming years, a secondary environmental disaster could be on the cards unless the batteries used in those vehicles can be made in a more sustainable way, with consideration given to their full life cycle. Chemists are front and centre of the battery story, from the early work by the scientists who shared the 2019 Nobel prize in chemistry to those around the world now trying to improve on the materials used in them.

Better batteries will need to use less scarce or problematic minerals, or better still none at all. And those they do use will need to be sourced in a sustainable way. A full life-cycle analysis of the components needs to be considered right at the start of materials development to ensure a supply of batteries into the future, a supply that doesn‰??t itself ravage the planet.

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

HAZMAT UNIT SCRAMBLED TO TACKLE LEAK FROM CHEMICAL TANK IN JOHOR
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/07/04/hazmat-unit-scrambled-to-tackle-leak-from-chemical-tank-in-johor
Tags: Malaysia, industrial, release, response, hydrogen_peroxide

KULAI: A leak from a 1,000-litre tank at a storage warehouse here has caused chemicals to flow into a nearby river.

Kulai Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Bahtiar Selamat said the emergency was reported at Jalan Besar, Kampung Baru in Sengkang at 8.22pm on Saturday (July 3).

He said 21 firefighters and a hazardous materials (Hazmat) unit were sent to the scene.

‰??There were 30 units of 1,000l tanks in the storage facility, all containing alkaline substances and one of the tanks sprung a leak.

‰??According to the Hazmat unit, which conducted tests on site, the leaked substances contained methyltrioctylammonium chloride, hydrogen peroxide solution and n-methyl cyclohexylamine," Bahtiar said Sunday (July 4).

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

PUNE: COURT REJECTS BAIL PLEA OF CHEMICAL FACTORY OWNER IN FATAL BLAZE CASE
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/pune-court-rejects-bail-plea-of-chemical-factory-owner-in-fatal-blaze-case-7387857/
Tags: India, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical

A court in Pune on Saturday rejected the bail application filed by Nikunj Shah, the owner of the chemical factory where a fire incident had led to the death of 17 workers in June this year.
The incident had taken place at the building of SVS Aqua Technologies, a company manufacturing water purification chemicals, located in Urawade, near Pirangut in Mulshi taluka of Pune district, on June 7. The deceased included 15 women while four other persons, including one woman, were injured in the blaze.
An inquiry committee constituted by the Pune district administration found multiple safety norm violations at the factory, including large stocks of alcohol-based sanitiser being allegedly stored without the requisite permit.

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

GULF OF MEXICO OCEAN FIRE EXTINGUISHED AFTER PEMEX PIPELINE RUPTURE
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-03/gulf-of-mexico-fire-extinguished/100265178
Tags: Mexico, industrial, fire, response, natural_gas

A fire on the ocean surface west of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula has been extinguished, with state-owned oil company Pemex blaming a gas leak from an underwater pipeline for sparking the blaze that was captured in videos shared widely on social media.

Key points:

Pemex says no injuries were reported and production was not affected.
Nitrogen was used to control the fire
Pemex has a long record of major industrial incidents
Bright orange flames jumping out of water resembling molten lava was dubbed an "eye of fire" on social media due to the blaze's circular sha

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TWO PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED AFTER FIREFIGHTERS, HAZMAT PERSONNEL RESPOND TO HERMISTON MOTEL
https://www.eastoregonian.com/news/local/two-people-hospitalized-after-firefighters-hazmat-personnel-respond-to-hermiston-motel/article_c40af4d8-db86-11eb-b222-fbfadd87f158.html
Tags: us_OR, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

HERMISTON ‰?? Two people were hospitalized after firefighters and hazardous materials personnel responded Friday, July 2, to a report of five people who fell ill at a motel in Hermiston.

The report said five people were struggling to breathe and were possibly vomiting, according to the incident commander.

Officials have yet to determine what caused the incident, which occurred at Comfort Inn & Suites, but a hazmat team was called to identify a substance, according to a post on the Umatilla County Fire District No. 1 Facebook page.

Two people were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center but are in ‰??stable condition,‰?? the post said. Officials evaluated multiple other people but determined they didn‰??t require more treatment.

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

LEBANESE JUDGE SEEKS TO PROSECUTE SENIOR OFFICIALS OVER BEIRUT BLAST
https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2021/07/02/lebanese-judge-seeks-to-prosecute-senior-officials-over-beirut-blast/
Tags: Lebanon, public, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate

The judge leading the investigation into the Beirut port explosion on Friday asked for permission to prosecute high-ranking politicians and security officials and confirmed charges by his predecessor against the outgoing prime minister.

Judge Tarek Bitar summoned caretaker prime minister Hassan Diab for questioning and asked parliament to lift immunity granted to three members who are former ministers, the National News Agency reported. Mr Bitar also asked the prime minister's office and the caretaker interior minister for permission to question General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim and State Security chief Maj Gen Tony Saliba.

The move comes weeks after people affected by the the blast and the families of victims started questioning the integrity of the investigation and petitioning for an international inquiry into the disaster that claimed more than 200 lives, injured thousands and damaged thousands of properties across the capital.

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

FIRE CREWS RESPOND TO HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SPILL IN ANKENY
https://whoradio.iheart.com/content/2021-07-02-fire-crews-respond-to-hazardous-chemical-spill-in-ankeny/
Tags: us_IA, transportation, release, response, peroxide

(Ankeny, Iowa) -- Fire crews are responding to a hazardous materials leak in Ankeny.

According to a news release, a semi trailer at Dohrn Transfer Company on 2129 SE Hulsizer Road was leaking liquid peroxide. Crews isolated the area due to the risk of fire from the leaking substance. Until further notice, SE Hulsizer Road is closed from SE Dalby to SE Lorenz Drive as cleanup continues.

No injuries have been reported, and first responders say there's no danger to the public.

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

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION STARTS FIRE AT FORMER PIZZA JOINT IN NH
https://seacoastcurrent.com/spontaneous-combustion-starts-fire-at-former-pizza-joint-in-nh/
Tags: us_NH, public, fire, response, dye

The fire was caused by the improper storage of oil-soaked, wood finish stain rags, leading to a spontaneous combustion of the materials.

Spontaneous combustion is a phenomenon in which a chemical substance unexpectedly bursts into flames without an apparent cause.

Firefighters forced their way through the front door of the restaurant, which is currently under renovation, and quickly extinguished the fire with a hand-line from Engine 1.

Nobody was injured in the incident and crews returned to service at 10:01 p.m., Germain said.

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INHERENTLY SAFER SCALE-UP OF OZONOLYSIS IN CONTINUOUS FLOW UNDER PRESSURE: CASE STUDY ON ë2-PINENE
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.oprd.1c00008
Tags: France, industrial, discovery, environmental, ozone

Despite its synthetic relevance, ozonolysis is still an underused reaction in the synthetic chemistry industries. This can be attributed to safety issues while handling the ozone itself, alongside extra hazard related to unstable reaction intermediates. Flow chemistry improves safety as it involves a small volume of the reagent at any given time. Here, to address safety and technical issues, we describe the design and testing of an ozone dosing line. A global risk assessment and the description of the setup, the analytics, are presented in detail. This new dosing line enabled the successful scale-up of ë2-pinene ozonolysis in flow, with a productivity of over 16 g/h.

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

FIRE CREWS RESPONDING TO MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR HAZMAT SITUATION ‰?? BOSTON 25 NEWS
https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/fire-crews-responding-mass-general-hospital-hazmat-situation/44B5OKVOJNCSXMR6BZMA3DIPYQ/
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, liquid_nitrogen, nitrogen

BOSTON ‰?? Emergency personnel are responding to a Level 3 hazmat situation at Mass General Hospital where a liquid nitrogen tank is leaking in the basement, the fire department said.

Boston Fire officials tweeted that fire personnel responded to the Boston hospital around 5:45 p.m.

No injuries were reported.

Crews are working on shutting down the leak and the area is secure, according to the fire department.

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

ILLINOIS EPA CALLS FOR LEGAL ACTION AGAINST CORPORATIONS IN DOWNTOWN MORRIS BATTERY FIRE
https://fiorreports.com/index.php/2021/07/01/illinois-epa-calls-for-legal-action-against-corporations-in-downtown-morris-battery-fire-nbc-chicago/
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, batteries, runoff, waste

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it had referred an enforcement action to the Illinois prosecutor‰??s office against Superior Battery Inc., the site of a lithium battery fire in Morris, which the EPA found violated the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and Illinois Pollution Control Board Regulations.

The Illinois EPA claims that Superior Battery Inc., 919 E. Benton St., ‰??caused, threatened, or permitted the release of pollutants into the air and water, and disposed of or left waste in an unregulated facility.‰??

‰??More violations may be added‰?? as more information about how the company is managing the batteries is gathered, the Illinois EPA said.

The referral urging the attorney general to take legal action said the fire created ‰??smoke containing potentially dangerous substances‰?? and forced the evacuation of about 1,000 homes.

The referral also calls for the Attorney General to call on Superior Battery Inc. to hire a consultant to determine the cause of the fire, contain any runoff and prevent water from being drained off-site, including providing a detailed inventory of the site material.

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

WINNEBAGO COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS WANT DATA ON CHEMTOOL FIRE EXPOSURE
https://www.rrstar.com/story/news/2021/07/01/winnebago-county-health-officials-want-data-chemtool-fire-exposure/7828847002/
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

ROCKFORD ‰?? If you have been affected physically or mentally by the June 14 Chemtool fire in Rockton, the Winnebago County Health Department wants to know about it.

County Health Department Administrator Sandra Martell is asking residents to complete a health impact survey in response to the fire.

On Thursday she said the voluntary survey is an opportunity for residents to be heard, and it helps scientists identify any potential health concerns.

"The goal of the survey is to better understand the impact of the Chemtool fire on the health of the individuals who were in the area," she said, "and that includes first responders, volunteers and if you were passing by in that area."

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