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From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (31 articles)
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2021 05:41:18 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: 07BC5B26-D9EA-4C37-98C6-EC4FABC63798**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, August 2, 2021 at 5:40:44 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 (31 articles)
FIRE CREWS, HAZMAT TEAM DEPLOYED AFTER CHLORINE SPILL IN LAKEVILLE ‰?? BOSTON NEWS, WEATHER, SPORTS
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, response, chlorine, water_treatment
U.S. 6 OVER LOVELAND PASS SHUT BY MUDSLIDES, HAZMAT VEHICLES MUST NOW GO THROUGH EISENHOWER TUNNEL
Tags: us_CO, transportation, discovery, response
DRIVER KILLED AFTER TANKER TRUCK FALLS OFF I-595 RAMP IN DAVIE, EXPLODES ‰?? WSVN 7NEWS
Tags: us_FL, transportation, explosion, death, gasoline
CREWS IN CHESTERFIELD BATTLE CHEMICAL FIRE AT BRANDERMILL COUNTRY CLUB
Tags: us_VA, public, fire, response, cleaners
SLPA CONTROLS CHEMICAL LEAK ABOARD SHIP AT COLOMBO PORT
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, release, response, nitric_acid
SAFER FLUORINATION PROCESS DEVELOPED USING FLOW ELECTROCHEMISTRY
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
STORAGE UNITS BURN IN NORTH HIGHLANDS HAZMAT FIRE
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response, batteries
PRIME MINISTER PIERRE VISITS ST. JUDE HOSPITAL AFTER EXPLOSION, MINOR FIRE
Tags: Saint_Lucia, industrial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical
ONE KILLED IN ACCIDENT AT FIREWORKS UNIT IN SIVAKASI
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
MELTING ARCTIC ICE CARRIES HIGH LEVELS OF 'FOREVER CHEMICALS,' STUDY FINDS
Tags: Canada, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
IWILEI COSTCO REOPENS AFTER EVACUATION DUE TO REPORTED GAS LEAK
Tags: us_HI, public, release, response, freon
SOUTH AFRICA‰??S ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY CLOSES BEACHES AFTER CHEMICAL SPILLAGE
Tags: South_Africa, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
MYSTERY SURROUNDS SUDDEN DEATH OF TEEN WHOSE BODY REEKED OF UNKNOWN CHEMICAL: REPORT ‰?? CRIME ONLINE
Tags: us_FL, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
HAZMAT SITUATION IN HANOVER SENDS THREE PEOPLE TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
BOILER EXPLODES AT STRASBURG MILK PLANT, CAUSING AMMONIA LEAK
Tags: us_MD, industrial, explosion, response, ammonia
ROCKLAND FIRE RESPONDS TO SPILL AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Tags: us_ME, industrial, release, response, sodium_bisulfate, water_treatment
GERMANY: NO TOXIC FALLOUT FROM LEVERKUSEN CHEMICAL BLAST
Tags: Germany, industrial, follow-up, environmental, dust, toxics
FBI PROBE: CHEMICALS THAT CAUSED BEIRUT BLAST ONLY A FIFTH OF ORIGINAL SHIPMENT
Tags: Lebanon, public, discovery, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
2 WEEKS AFTER A CHEMICAL LEAK, SPLASHTOWN STILL SELLING TICKETS ONLINE DESPITE CLOSURE
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, environmental
CHEMICAL SPILL CONFIRMED AT AMERICAN ZINC PLANT IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY
Tags: us_NC, industrial, release, response, sulfuric_acid
BREAKING: MONSANTO HIT WITH $185M VERDICT OVER TEACHERS‰?? PCB-RELATED BRAIN DAMAGE
Tags: us_WA, education, discovery, injury, toxics
CHEMISTS GET CREATIVE TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN UNDERRESOURCED LABS
Tags: Mexico, education, discovery, environmental, corrosives, mercury, picric_acid
THREE FIREFIGHTERS INJURED IN NEW IBERIA FIRE, EXPLOSION
Tags: us_LA, public, explosion, injury, natural_gas
LAFD HAZMAT SQUAD ON SCENE AT SUN VALLEY RECYCLING CENTER ‰?? DAILY NEWS
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical, waste
HAZ MAT INCIDENT REPORTED ON N. COLUMBIA
Tags: us_OR, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
DEP LEVIES $51K FINE FOR MOUNTAINEER XPRESS PIPELINE WATER POLLUTION VIOLATIONS
Tags: us_WV, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
CLIMATE-RELATED INCIDENTS NEED TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN PROCESS SAFETY
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
LEVERKUSEN EXPLOSION: WHAT EXACTLY ARE DIOXINS, FURANS, PCBS AND PAHS?
Tags: Germany, industrial, follow-up, environmental, toxics
CHEMTOOL CHEMICALS WILL REMAIN UNKNOWN UNTIL AT LEAST SEPTEMBER
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
THREE PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER POSSIBLE CHEMICAL LEAK AT ALBERTA CAMPGROUND
Tags: Canada, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
ACETIC ACID ACCIDENT AT TEXAS PLANT KILLS 2 WORKERS
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, death, acetic_acid
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FIRE CREWS, HAZMAT TEAM DEPLOYED AFTER CHLORINE SPILL IN LAKEVILLE ‰?? BOSTON NEWS, WEATHER, SPORTS
https://whdh.com/news/fire-crews-hazmat-team-deployed-after-chlorine-spill-in-lakeville/
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, response, chlorine, water_treatment
LAKEVILLE, MASS. (WHDH) - Fire crews and a hazmat team responded to a ‰??large, continuous‰?? chlorine spill in Lakeville early Sunday morning, officials said.
Firefighters responding to a reported chlorine spill at the Taunton Water Treatment Plant around 3 a.m. detected a chlorine odor and shut down portions of Precinct and Montgomery streets. No homes were evacuated.
The Department of Fire Services District Hazmat Team arrived at the scene approximately 20 minutes later and established an area of containment, according to the Lakeville Fire Department.
Cleanup efforts continued for approximately seven hours until 10:04 a.m., fire officials said
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U.S. 6 OVER LOVELAND PASS SHUT BY MUDSLIDES, HAZMAT VEHICLES MUST NOW GO THROUGH EISENHOWER TUNNEL
https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/01/mudslides-i-70-loveland-pass-glenwood-canyon/
Tags: us_CO, transportation, discovery, response
A mudslide late Saturday near Arapahoe Basin ski area shut down traffic on U.S. 6 over Loveland Pass which means traffic on Interstate 70 must occasionally stop to allow trucks carrying hazardous materials to pass through Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels.
The Colorado Department of Transportation on Sunday evening said the road had reopened.
Heavy rains across Colorado have caused huge debris flows onto highways for the past month, some in areas that are merely steep and others in places where the landscape was scarred by fire last summer.
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DRIVER KILLED AFTER TANKER TRUCK FALLS OFF I-595 RAMP IN DAVIE, EXPLODES ‰?? WSVN 7NEWS
https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/driver-killed-after-tanker-truck-falls-off-i-595-ramp-in-davie-explodes/
Tags: us_FL, transportation, explosion, death, gasoline
DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - The driver of a fuel tanker truck was killed after, authorities said, the vehicle fell off a ramp on Interstate 595 in Davie and exploded.
Florida Highway Patrol and Davie Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the crash near the Florida Turnpike, at around 3:45 p.m., Sunday.
Investigators said the driver was heading wesbound when he struck the concrete wall on the right shoulder and flipped over.
Officials said the truck went over the wall. The vehicle was loaded with approximately 8,000 gallons of gasoline that ignited and exploded.
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CREWS IN CHESTERFIELD BATTLE CHEMICAL FIRE AT BRANDERMILL COUNTRY CLUB
https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/crews-in-chesterfield-battle-chemical-fire-at-brandermill-country-club/
Tags: us_VA, public, fire, response, cleaners
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) ‰?? Crews with the Chesterfield County Fire Department battled a chemical fire that happened Sunday at Brandermill Country Club.
The fire broke out in a laundry room next to the main clubhouse around 11 a.m. Pool chemicals amplified the flames, and fire and hazardous materials teams were required to extinguish the fire.
Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Coffin praised the club‰??s staff for how they handled the situation, saying that quick notification of the situation kept the blaze contained to that one area of the clubhouse.
‰??Fortunately, all the things were done right to report quickly, to attempt to extinguish, and to make first responders aware of the potential hazards near the pool facility,‰?? he said. ‰??So we‰??re very grateful for all the efforts of staff on scene and there were no injuries as a result of operations here.‰??
The clubhouse will remain closed for the rest of the day, but staff are working to get back to normal operations as soon as possible.
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SLPA CONTROLS CHEMICAL LEAK ABOARD SHIP AT COLOMBO PORT
http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/08/02/local/255478/slpa-controls-chemical-leak-aboard-ship-colombo-port
Tags: Sri_Lanka, transportation, release, response, nitric_acid
The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has quelled a chemical leak successfully from a container on board the MV Seaspan Lahore at the Port of Colombo.
The vessel, which was sailing from the Indian Port of Mundra to Colombo carrying containers, detected a leak from a container of Nitric Acid in drums. This container was to be discharged at an African Port after Colombo.
The detection was done six hours after the vessel‰??s departure from Mundra. The Captain of the ship belonging to M/S Hapag-Lloyd, immediately notified the leak to the Local Agents, M/S Hapag-Lloyd Lanka (Pvt.) Limited, and the agents notified it to the Habour Master of the SLPA and the container terminal ‰?? SAGT.
Thereafter, a thorough study was made of the storage plan and the commodities in the adjacent containers on board the ship by the SLPA Chairman and the Habour Master. Then, it was decided to anchor the vessel and discharge and rework the barrels of Nitric Acid into a fresh container for onward carriage. There were 650 drums of Nitric Acid in the container.
---------------------------------------------
SAFER FLUORINATION PROCESS DEVELOPED USING FLOW ELECTROCHEMISTRY
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/safer-fluorination-process-developed-using-flow-electrochemistry/4014054.article
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
UK-based researchers have combined fluorine chemistry, electrochemistry and flow chemistry to develop a fully automated flow system for fluorination reactions. By quenching hazardous fluorine-containing reagents in situ, the system should decrease exposure risks for experimental chemists.
Fluorination steps are increasingly prevalent in organic chemistry, particularly when synthesising drug molecules. However, the toxicity of hydrofluoric acid ‰?? the most readily available fluoride reagent ‰?? can cause issues.
The automated flow system devised by Thomas Wirth of Cardiff University, and co-workers, works on a range of hypervalent-iodine mediated fluorination reactions using a variety of substrates. The reactions proceed via transient (difluoroiodo)arene intermediates, which react immediately when the substrate is added to the flow system to form the fluorinated products. By injecting an aqueous base after the reaction, the reaction is quenched and phase separation allows an easy isolation of the product.
---------------------------------------------
STORAGE UNITS BURN IN NORTH HIGHLANDS HAZMAT FIRE
https://www.kcra.com/article/storage-units-burn-in-north-highlands-hazmat-fire/37187467#
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response, batteries
Dozens of firefighters responded to a fire in North Highlands Saturday morning that authorities said involved 10 storage units.
Sacramento Metro Fire said hazardous material was believed to be burning in the fire off Industry Drive because people often store cleaning supplies and batteries in the units. Personnel didn't know exactly what was inside them.
KCRA 3‰??s Erin Heft, reporting from near the scene, said the blaze smelled like burning plastic and smoke could be seen for miles.
---------------------------------------------
PRIME MINISTER PIERRE VISITS ST. JUDE HOSPITAL AFTER EXPLOSION, MINOR FIRE
https://stluciatimes.com/prime-minister-pierre-visits-st-jude-hospital-after-explosion-minor-fire/
Tags: Saint_Lucia, industrial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical
Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, visited St. Jude Hospital Saturday after ‰??an explosion that resulted in a minor fire‰?? at the institution.
‰??I thought it was necessary to visit the site to receive first hand information. As you know, St. Jude Hospital is a priority of this government and an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause and to assess the impact of this fire,‰?? Pierre wrote on Facebook.
Prime Minister Pierre (R) in conversation at the St. Jude Hospital site
He disclosed that he also spoke with Miss Sheena Franklin, a staff member who sustained injuries to her arm during the fire and was admitted to the hospital.
---------------------------------------------
ONE KILLED IN ACCIDENT AT FIREWORKS UNIT IN SIVAKASI
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/one-killed-in-accident-at-fireworks-unit-in-sivakasi/article35649443.ece
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
A worker, R. Anandaraj (60 ) was killed in an explosion reported at a fireworks unit at Chockalingapuram in Sivakasi on Saturday.
The police said that the victim was involved in chemical filling while making joined crackers. Friction while handling the chemicals, at Sivasakthi fireworks, is said to have triggered the explosion at around 10 a.m. The working shed was burnt to the ground.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot and cleared the debris. They were shocked to find the body of Anandaraj dangling from the top of a tree, after it was hurled for several metres up in the air by the impact of the explosion. The body was taken to the government hospital.
---------------------------------------------
MELTING ARCTIC ICE CARRIES HIGH LEVELS OF 'FOREVER CHEMICALS,' STUDY FINDS
https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-environment/melting-arctic-ice-carries-high-levels-of-forever-chemicals-study-finds-1.5530608
Tags: Canada, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
TORONTO -- A new study has found high concentrations of toxic "forever chemicals" in the surface of seawater near melting ice floes in the Arctic.
Researchers out of Lancaster University in England found concentrations of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) up to two times higher in the Arctic's Barents Sea than levels previously observed in that of the North Sea.
Despite the region studied being thousands of kilometres away from populated European cities, the researchers found the PFAS travelled through the atmosphere and accumulated in sea ice, later melting into the Arctic Ocean.
---------------------------------------------
IWILEI COSTCO REOPENS AFTER EVACUATION DUE TO REPORTED GAS LEAK
https://www.khon2.com/local-news/iwilei-costco-evacuated-after-reported-gas-leak/
Tags: us_HI, public, release, response, freon
HONOLULU (KHON2) ‰?? The Costco in Iwilei was evacuated around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, after a reported gas leak in one of the store‰??s refrigerators, according to the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD).
HFD said the refrigerator was reportedly leaking Freon ‰?? a non-combustible gas that is used for cooling purposes. A 911 call had come in at 1:40 p.m. to report the chemical leak on Alakawa Street.
---------------------------------------------
SOUTH AFRICA‰??S ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY CLOSES BEACHES AFTER CHEMICAL SPILLAGE
https://newsghana.com.gh/south-africas-ethekwini-municipality-closes-beaches-after-chemical-spillage/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_09a62228827120e134b3edbe9e5f1b814e829074-1627813859-0-gqNtZGzNAjijcnBszQei
Tags: South_Africa, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
South Africa‰??s eThekwini municipality on Friday said they are closing some beaches due to the chemical spillage in the Umhlanga Lagoon which was possibly caused by violent protests.
The closure will affect beaches including Beachwood, Virginia, Glenashley, and La Lucia, inclusive of tidal pools.
‰??Extensive environmental impacts are being reported at uMhlanga and uMdloti Lagoons and beaches in the vicinity and these have contributed to killing numerous species of marine and bird life,‰?? said eThekwini municipality in a statement.
‰??The pollution is considered serious and can affect one‰??s health if species are collected and consumed. Lagoon and seawater contact must also be avoided. The public is therefore advised to cease all activity on the above-mentioned beaches.‰??
The municipality said, ‰??The public are advised to avoid the beach area at this time until it is deemed safe. Clean up companies are trying to deal with the spill which originated from a chemical warehouse fire in Umhlanga, following this week‰??s unrest. Other potential pollution sources are being investigated. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely.‰?? Enditem
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MYSTERY SURROUNDS SUDDEN DEATH OF TEEN WHOSE BODY REEKED OF UNKNOWN CHEMICAL: REPORT ‰?? CRIME ONLINE
https://www.crimeonline.com/2021/07/30/mystery-surrounds-sudden-death-of-teen-whose-body-reeked-of-unknown-chemical-report/
Tags: us_FL, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
Florida officials are investigating Wednesday‰??s death of a 15-year-old Florida boy who reportedly reeked of an unknown substance and was hospitalized a day earlier because he felt ill.
Lorvens Julien‰??s father told WPLG that hazmat crews spent hours at their West Park home on Wednesday but they did not discover any chemicals. In addition to Julien‰??s death, a deputy who entered the home was reportedly hospitalized for breathing issues, while a firefighter suffered second-degree burns from an unknown chemical.
Julien‰??s father first took the teen to the hospital on Tuesday but he was released. At some point during the evening, he felt sick again and was repeatedly vomiting.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT SITUATION IN HANOVER SENDS THREE PEOPLE TO HOSPITAL
https://patch.com/massachusetts/plymouth/hazmat-situation-hanover-sends-three-people-hospital
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
HANOVER, MA ‰?? Hanover Fire Captain Justin Reed confirms that three people have been taken to local hospitals after a hazmat situation in Hanover.
According to a tweet, Captain Reed says the three people are injured due to a trip of the fire suppression system at Valvoline on Route 53 in Hanover.
The patients transported were an alarm system technician and two workers who were working in a below-grade pit, says the tweet.
---------------------------------------------
BOILER EXPLODES AT STRASBURG MILK PLANT, CAUSING AMMONIA LEAK
https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/boiler-explodes-at-strasburg-milk-plant-causing-ammonia-leak/article_4a66fbc1-fe11-5718-b351-2058bcb34f6c.html
Tags: us_MD, industrial, explosion, response, ammonia
STRASBURG ‰?? A boiler explosion early Friday morning blew out a wall at the Valley Milk Products plant in downtown Strasburg, creating a hazardous ammonia leak.
Several downtown streets were closed for hours and nearby neighbors had to evacuate as hazardous materials crews cleaned up the scene.
No one was injured, and no one was working in the building at the time.
‰??We are thankful for the swift action of local emergency responders and [town] building officials to ensure our employees are kept safe and minimize impact to the Strasburg community,‰?? said Jay Bryant, CEO of the Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, which owns the plant. ‰??While we are still assessing the impact of the explosion, we expect no disruptions to our milk supply.‰??
The explosion occurred around 3:30 a.m. at the plant at the corner of King and Acton streets, said Shenandoah County Fire and Rescue Department Deputy Chief of Operations Bill Streett.
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ROCKLAND FIRE RESPONDS TO SPILL AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
https://knox.villagesoup.com/2021/07/30/rockland-fire-responds-to-spill-at-wastewater-treatment-plant/
Tags: us_ME, industrial, release, response, sodium_bisulfate, water_treatment
A report of a hazardous material spill Friday afternoon at the Rockland wastewater treatment plant ended up not being a hazard to the environment or human health.
The Rockland Fire and Emergency Medical Services department responded shortly after 2 p.m. July 30 to a report of a spill. Rockland Fire Chief Chris Whytock said as a precaution, crews blocked Captain Spear Drive to traffic.
The department had already planned to do a drill with its aerial drone before the call and decided to use it for this response. The chief said until it was known what the chemical was initially and the crews wanted to be extra cautious since the wind was coming off the water and toward Main Street.
As it turns out, a delivery of sodium bisulfate was being made and the truck driver went inside briefly and when she returned found the chemical overflowing. Sodium bisulfate is used in one of the final treatment processes to remove chlorine before the wastewater is discharged into Rockland Harbor.
About 100 gallons of the chemical is believed to have been spilled. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection was contacted and said there was no need for it to respond since the chemical is not hazardous in the water.
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GERMANY: NO TOXIC FALLOUT FROM LEVERKUSEN CHEMICAL BLAST
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-no-toxic-fallout-from-leverkusen-chemical-blast/a-58710508
Tags: Germany, industrial, follow-up, environmental, dust, toxics
Preliminary investigations into substances released by an explosion at a chemical park in the western German city of Leverkusen indicate there is no risk to public health, officials said Friday.
Tests were conducted on soot and dust particles that fell on a residential area near the Chempark complex. Investigators found no traces of dioxins or similar toxins during initial tests, Ulrich Quass from the environmental agency in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia told a press briefing.
More detailed tests are being conducted and those results are expected next week.
Health officials are still cautioning residents not to consume home-grown produce or clean surfaces themselves
Health concerns allayed for now
The blast caused a giant plume of smoke to rise from the Chempark site, forcing emergency officials to shut down nearby motorways. At the time, residents were told to stay inside their homes and close all windows to minimize any potential harm.
Quass said particles that fell near the industrial complex ‰?? which hosts chemicals companies including Bayer and Lanxess ‰?? were found to contain no toxic substances: "Contrary to what was feared, no critical levels of dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found," he told reporters.
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FBI PROBE: CHEMICALS THAT CAUSED BEIRUT BLAST ONLY A FIFTH OF ORIGINAL SHIPMENT
https://www.timesofisrael.com/fbi-probe-chemicals-that-caused-beirut-blast-only-a-fifth-of-original-shipment/
Tags: Lebanon, public, discovery, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
The amount of ammonium nitrate that exploded at Beirut‰??s port last year in a massive blast was just one-fifth of the original shipment that arrived at the Lebanese capital in 2013, according to an FBI investigation whose findings were published Friday by Reuters.
The probe added to suspicions that most of the stockpile of the chemical, used to make either fertilizer or bombs, went missing or was diverted before the August 2020 blast that rocked Berut and killed more than 200 people.
The FBI probe from last October found that while 2,754 tons of ammonium nitrate had arrived in Lebanon seven years before the blast, only 552 tons went up in flames on the day of the explosion, Reuters reported.
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2 WEEKS AFTER A CHEMICAL LEAK, SPLASHTOWN STILL SELLING TICKETS ONLINE DESPITE CLOSURE
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/splashtown-chemic-leak-online-ticket-sales/285-87fbe006-12e7-4340-bbff-e22fe15c8b80
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, environmental
SPRING, Texas ‰?? The Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown water park in Spring is still closed nearly two weeks after Harris County Public Health reports dozens of people were exposed to a high level of chemicals in the water.
People like David Hodge are frustrated because as of Friday afternoon the website for the waterpark was still advertising and selling daily passes.
Hodge told KHOU 11 News that on Monday night he went online and purchased day passes from Six Flags for the next day. Hodge said he was even able to reserve a cabana, umbrella and chairs for July 27.
‰??So we were all prepared,‰?? said Hodge of his family in Angleton, ‰??got the ice chest ready for the car and headed to Spring.‰??
Hodge said he spent more than $200 on entrance fees, the cabana rental and a parking pass. He and his family made the 1.5 hour drive from Angleton to Spring.
‰??We drove up and we had the scene of Walley World, you know, the part of the parking lots empty,‰?? said Hodge. ‰??When I start to notice other people pulling up to the gate as well, trying to figure out how to get in. And we realize the park is closed.‰??
The park‰??s been closed since Saturday, July 17 when the chemical leak triggered an emergency disaster response from Spring firefighters and the Harris County Fire Marshal‰??s office.
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CHEMICAL SPILL CONFIRMED AT AMERICAN ZINC PLANT IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY
https://wlos.com/news/local/chemical-spill-confirmed-at-american-zinc-products-plant-in-rutherford-county
Tags: us_NC, industrial, release, response, sulfuric_acid
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) ‰?? News 13 has obtained an incident report showing reports of a chemical spill at the American Zinc Products plant in Rutherford County.
On Thursday, July 29, a call came into the National Response Center from someone at American Zinc saying they found "a discharge of sulfuric acid onto the ground from a processing pond on the property."
According to the report, the plant was shut down for an investigation.
Chemical spill confirmed at American Zinc plant in Rutherford County
The N.C. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources confirms staff was onsite to test water in connection to the spill.
No results have been released.
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BREAKING: MONSANTO HIT WITH $185M VERDICT OVER TEACHERS‰?? PCB-RELATED BRAIN DAMAGE
https://blog.cvn.com/breaking-monsanto-hit-with-185m-verdict-over-teachers-pcb-related-brain-damage
Tags: us_WA, education, discovery, injury, toxics
Seattle, WA: A Washington state court jury sacked Bayer AG‰??s Monsanto unit with a $185 million verdict on Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by teachers exposed to toxic chemicals in a dilapidated school, including an award of punitive damages resulting from the application of Missouri law.
Tuesday‰??s verdict ends a long-running trial that began in early June over claims by three teachers who allege they suffered neurological injuries due to exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.
The full trial, which took place in a sprawling repurposed convention space to accommodate social distancing, was webcast and recorded gavel-to-gavel by Courtroom View Network.
PCB‰??s are long-lasting chemicals used in a variety of industrial products, and the teachers claim their exposure occurred via PCBs in fluorescent lighting from the 1960‰??s and building calk in the Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe, Washington.
Due to their extremely durable chemical composition and widespread dispersal throughout the environment, background exposure to PCBs is common, but the teachers‰?? lawsuit alleged exposure levels at the school were particularly high.
The teachers blamed their health problems, which include severe fatigue and cognitive difficulties, on exposure to PCBs from 2011 to 2015. They claim Monsanto, the sole company to manufacture PCBs, did so despite knowing they posed a risk to the public prior to being banned in the 1970‰??s.
Bayer argued the level of PCB exposure at the school was low, and that plaintiffs' alleged injuries could be the result of other safety issues at the 70-year-old facility, like extensive mold contamination.
After a day and a half of deliberations, the jury awarded $15 million, $18 million and $17 million in compensatory damages to teachers Kerry Erickson, Michelle Leahy, and Michell Marquardt, respectively.
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CHEMISTS GET CREATIVE TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN UNDERRESOURCED LABS
https://cen.acs.org/safety/lab-safety/Chemists-creative-improve-safety-underresourced/99/i28
Tags: Mexico, education, discovery, environmental, corrosives, mercury, picric_acid
When C. RosalÌ-a Ì?lvarez ChÌÁvez started inspecting the safety of high school laboratories around Sonora, Mexico, several years ago, she had no idea of the chemical dangers that awaited her.
In more than half of the schools, she found highly hazardous chemicals. They included explosive picric acid, toxic mercury, and toxic and corrosive hydrofluoric acid. While mercury was mostly sealed in old thermometers, once Ì?lvarez ChÌÁvez and her team fotund an open container about the size of a baby-food jar full of the toxic metal. After that incident, the team adopted a new rule during inspections: don‰??t touch anything.
Ì?lvarez ChÌÁvez, a professor and chemical safety expert at the University of Sonora, says these findings are deeply concerning and raise the question ‰??Why are these chemicals here? We do not need HF in a high school.‰??
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THREE FIREFIGHTERS INJURED IN NEW IBERIA FIRE, EXPLOSION
https://www.katc.com/news/iberia-parish/firefighters-on-scene-of-fire-on-hopkins-street-in-new-iberia
Tags: us_LA, public, explosion, injury, natural_gas
Three firefighters were injured on Thursday while responding to a natural gas fire and explosion on South Hopkins Street and West Dale Street in New Iberia.
State Fire Marshal deputies are now investigating the incident at the request of the New Iberia Fire Department. They say the fire and subsequent explosion is at a manufactured home structure used as a commercial business in the 800 block of Hopkins Street.
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The incident has been confirmed as a natural gas fire, according to State Police Hazmat.
Three firefighters are hospitalized with injuries sustained during the response to the initial call, the SFM says. Those firefighters are in different hospitals as of Thursday night; the family members of one man tell KATC he is in a medically induced coma at Our Lady of Lourdes in Lafayette. According to officials, he is the only firefighter in critical condition.
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LAFD HAZMAT SQUAD ON SCENE AT SUN VALLEY RECYCLING CENTER ‰?? DAILY NEWS
https://www.dailynews.com/2021/07/29/lafd-hazmat-squad-on-scene-at-sun-valley-sanitation-yard/
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical, waste
hazardous materials team was sent Thursday morning to a recycling center on the 9200 block of Tujunga Avenue in the Sun Valley area, where some people may have been exposed to an unknown chemical, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Firefighters evaluated the 49 people who evacuated the building at Waste Management‰??s Sun Valley Recycling Park, and there were no medical complaints, said LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart.
No one was transported to the hospital, she added.
The LAFD Hazmat Squad was entering the building to look for hazardous chemicals, Stewart said.
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HAZ MAT INCIDENT REPORTED ON N. COLUMBIA
https://www.koin.com/news/hazardous-materials-incident-north-columbia-portland/
Tags: us_OR, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) ‰?? A hazardous materials incident on North Columbia Boulevard in Portland on Thursday morning resulted in traffic being temporarily shut down within a half-mile radius, according to officials.
Portland Fire & Rescue said it happened on the 2300 block of North Columbia.
Traffic was shut down within a half-mile radius as crews respond to the scene; however, North Columbia has since re-opened.
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DEP LEVIES $51K FINE FOR MOUNTAINEER XPRESS PIPELINE WATER POLLUTION VIOLATIONS
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/dep-levies-51k-fine-for-mountaineer-xpress-pipeline-water-pollution-violations/article_4147b01d-c09d-53c9-be2f-b3373fcdcc7a.html
Tags: us_WV, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
West Virginia environmental regulators have again fined the operator of the Mountaineer XPress Pipeline for water pollution violations.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has assessed Columbia Gas Transmission a $51,560 penalty for violations dating back to July 2020, adding to the TC Energy subsidiary‰??s history of environmental violations that predates the pipeline‰??s March 2019 in-service launch.
The violations include failing to report the release of chemical drying agents into an unnamed tributary of Rush Run in Wetzel County used to repair a slip and not installing sediment control devices in the area of the slip as indicated in a stormwater pollution prevention plan, leading to offsite sediment deposits.
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CLIMATE-RELATED INCIDENTS NEED TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN PROCESS SAFETY
https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/climate-related-incidents-need-to-be-accounted-for-in-process-safety/
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
ENVIRONMENTAL and scientific advisory groups have called on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take stronger action to protect workers and the public from chemical disasters exacerbated by climate change.
The policy brief from the Center for Progressive Reform, Earthjustice, and the Union of Concerned Scientists issues a call for reform on the EPA‰??s response to natech disasters. Natech ‰?? or natural hazard triggering technological disasters ‰?? refers to when natural hazards such as storms or earthquakes contribute to or coincide with a process safety incident at an industrial facility.
The EPA‰??s Risk Management Programme (RMP) regulates facilities that use, store, or manage hazardous chemicals and is responsible for preventing incidents and protecting workers and the community. Currently, 12,331 facilities are regulated under the RMP which include refineries, chemical manufacturers, water treatment plants, industrial agriculture facilities, and pulp and paper mills. The brief identified 3,856 facilities which are located on sites prone to risks from events such as flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires ‰?? all of which are becoming more frequent and more intense due to climate change. The number of vulnerable facilities is likely to be an underestimate as data is currently not available for all natural disaster risks.
The RMP currently doesn‰??t address natech events or require facilities to take action to protect the surrounding communities against these risks. The Obama-era Chemical Disaster Rule would have addressed some of the gaps in the RMP, however the Trump administration rescinded this rule. While the Biden administration is planning to review the RMP, the brief notes that it is unclear what new action might be taken. It says that new rules must strengthen regulations, not just restore the Obama-era ones.
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LEVERKUSEN EXPLOSION: WHAT EXACTLY ARE DIOXINS, FURANS, PCBS AND PAHS?
https://www.dw.com/en/leverkusen-explosion-what-exactly-are-dioxins-furans-pcbs-and-pahs/a-58697815
Tags: Germany, industrial, follow-up, environmental, toxics
During an explosion at a hazardous waste incineration plant at Chempark near Leverkusen in western Germany earlier this week, tanks containing chlorinated solvents burst into flames. The solvents, as well as greases, waste medicines, tar and other pollutants are usually incinerated at temperatures of around 1,100 degrees Celsius (2,012 degrees Fahrenheit).
Only when they are incinerated at temperatures of over 850 degrees Celsius can it be ensured that no dioxins, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remain in the combustion gases.
But if the incineration is not done properly, certain toxins, which belong to what are known as the dirty dozen of organic environmental pollutants, can remain or even be produced and then be dispersed into the atmosphere.
Thus, following this week's explosion, authorities have warned local residents not to touch any particles of soot or eat any fruit or vegetables from their gardens.
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CHEMTOOL CHEMICALS WILL REMAIN UNKNOWN UNTIL AT LEAST SEPTEMBER
https://wrex.com/2021/07/29/chemtool-chemicals-will-remain-unknown-until-at-least-september/
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
ROCKTON (WREX) ‰?? Residents waiting to find out what chemicals were inside Chemtool at the time of a massive fire last month will have to wait a little bit longer.
A judge ruled today that documents about the chemicals inside of Chemtool will be made available, but only to attorneys and experts involved in the case.
The documents include a site map which lays out where chemicals were at the site and how much of each chemical was there. The earliest Chemtool could be forced to make those documents public is at the next court date, which is scheduled for Sept. 22.
Earlier this month, Winnebago County State's Attorney J. Hanley and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a lawsuit against Chemtool Inc.
Raoul and Hanley allege that the fire and efforts to control the fire resulted in smoke, particulate matter and unknown quantities of other contaminants being released into the environment.
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THREE PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER POSSIBLE CHEMICAL LEAK AT ALBERTA CAMPGROUND
https://www.660citynews.com/2021/07/29/possible-chemical-leak-campground/
Tags: Canada, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
FORT MACLEOD ‰?? RCMP in Fort MacLeod are trying to figure out what kind of chemical caused several people to need EMS treatment at an area campground over the weekend.
RCMP responded to the campground around 11:20 p.m. Sunday night after several people reported having difficulty breathing.
Ambulances from several surrounding communities were dispatched and assessed six people. Three people were taken to hospital with respiratory issues.
A preliminary investigation revealed a possible chemical leak from an unknown source in the area.
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ACETIC ACID ACCIDENT AT TEXAS PLANT KILLS 2 WORKERS
https://cen.acs.org/safety/industrial-safety/Acetic-acid-accident-Texas-plant/99/i28
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, death, acetic_acid
Two workers are dead and two remain hospitalized after a pipe with pressurized acetic acid burst July 27 at a LyondellBasell plant in La Porte, Texas.
First responders helped 31 surviving workers undergo decontamination, Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie L. Christensen told reporters shortly after the accident. LyondellBasell says 30 workers were transported to the hospital for medical evaluation. Of these, 28 had been treated and released as of late July 28.
Hours before the incident, workers shut down the acetyls unit at the plant for planned maintenance, LyondellBasell says in a statement. About 7:35 p.m., a cap burst on a pressurized line of acetic acid, forming a chemical vapor cloud, a spokesperson for the Harris County Pollution Control Services Department tells C&EN. The vaporized acetic acid caused most of the injuries, the spokesperson says.
The two workers killed at the scene were contract employees, LyondellBasell says. They are Dustin Don Day, 36, and Shawn Andrew Kuhleman, 32, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The pressurized line spewed a mixture of acetic acid, catalyst, hydrogen iodide, and methyl iodide, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) says in an emailed statement. LyondellBasell says the accident released about 45,000 kg of this mixture, which consisted primarily of acetic acid.
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