From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (10 articles)
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2022 05:21:38 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: EED6C94E-1E5A-4136-954E-DC143D071A61**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:21:15 AM

A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
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Table of Contents (10 articles)

NO INJURIES IN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT AT KINGMAN INDUSTRIAL PARK
Tags: us_AZ, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical

TWO MOON PARK IN BILLINGS EVACUATED AFTER AMMONIA LEAK
Tags: us_MT, industrial, release, response, ammonia

SPD: NO INJURIES AFTER EXPLOSION AT CHEMICAL COMPANY PLANT IN SEVIERVILLE
Tags: us_TN, industrial, explosion, response, aluminum_dust

WISCONSIN AG SUES 18 COMPANIES OVER PFAS CONTAMINATION
Tags: us_WI, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO JET FUEL FIRE IN VALENCIA
Tags: us_CA, industrial, fire, response, jet_fuel

SAN DIEGO RESIDENTS SUE OVER USS BONHOMME RICHARD FIRE
Tags: us_CA, transportation, follow-up, environmental, flammables

BIP ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES STATEMENT AFTER MIDDLEWICH FIRE
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

WATER COMPANIES' POLLUTION RECORD IN ENGLAND DESCRIBED AS CRIMINAL BY ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, discovery, environmental, illegal, waste, water_treatment

FARMVILLE OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING HAZMAT SITUATION AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Tags: us_VA, industrial, release, response, chlorine, water_treatment

PITTSFIELD SCHOOL EVACUATED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILLS IN SCIENCE LAB
Tags: us_NH, education, release, response, unknown_chemical


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NO INJURIES IN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT AT KINGMAN INDUSTRIAL PARK
https://kdminer.com/news/2022/jul/21/no-injuries-hazardous-materials-incident-kingman-i/
Tags: us_AZ, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical

KINGMAN ' A hazardous material incident at the Kingman Industrial Park was reported on Thursday, July 21 and resulted in no injuries.

According to a Northern Arizona Fire Department news release, personnel responded to 4625 Interstate Way at the Industrial Park for an odor investigation. Upon arrival, the crew immediately began experiencing irritation to their eyes.

Contact was made with staff inside the building and after speaking with the on-site personnel, it was determined that a rapid chemical reaction had occurred during a manufacturing process and hazardous off-gassing was releasing from inside the structure.

Additional personnel were requested to the scene along with Kingman Fire Department to help control and assess the incident. Units responded and established a safe zone around the affected area.

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

TWO MOON PARK IN BILLINGS EVACUATED AFTER AMMONIA LEAK
https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/two-moon-park-in-billings-evacuated-after-ammonia-leak
Tags: us_MT, industrial, release, response, ammonia

The ammonia leak inside of Centennial Ice Arena in Billings Heights has been isolated. There is no threat to the public, however, Two Moon Park is still closed along with the bike path near the ice arena. Bench Blvd is open to regular traffic.

The Billings Fire Department's HAZMAT team entered the building and located the source of the ammonia leak, shut off valves and pumps and safely exited the building. The next step is to re-enter the ice arena to determine if and where there are any hazardous levels of ammonia. If hazardous levels are located, they will ventilate the building toward the bike path, which is why the bike path remains closed.

Ammonia is a toxic industrial chemical, and if exposed, a person will experience severe skin and lung irritation.

If the building does need ventilation, the level of ammonia that is pushed out of the building would be neutralized once outside and it would not be enough to harm anyone beyond the bike path.

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SPD: NO INJURIES AFTER EXPLOSION AT CHEMICAL COMPANY PLANT IN SEVIERVILLE
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/sevierville-chemical-company-plant-explosion/51-d2e3fecc-5131-49b3-a1f5-e98c754817f2
Tags: us_TN, industrial, explosion, response, aluminum_dust

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. ' On Thursday, crews responded to calls about an explosion at a chemical plant in Sevierville. No injuries were reported due to the explosion, they said.
The plant is located on Airport Road and is owned by Johnson Matthey Catalyst. The company manufactures chemicals used in several products and solutions. They have 43 manufacturing sites across the world and they primarily make catalysis products, meant to quicken chemical reactions.
According to Bob Stahlke, the spokesperson for Sevierville Police Department, firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the building but were able to take control of the situation quickly.
They advised people in a 1,000-foot radius to voluntarily evacuate to a temporary shelter by going door-to-door but said no one decided to heed the evacuation. The evacuation notice was later rescinded.
Stahlke said the company believes nickel aluminum powder in the building likely exploded, saying the fire was quickly contained by a fire suppression system. Firefighters put out the remaining hot spots.

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WISCONSIN AG SUES 18 COMPANIES OVER PFAS CONTAMINATION
https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/wisconsin-ag-sues-18-companies-over-pfas-contamination/
Tags: us_WI, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

MADISON, Wis. (AP) ' Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit July 20 seeking to force nearly 20 companies that he alleges contaminated the environment with chemicals known as PFAS to reimburse the state for investigations and cleanup efforts.

The lawsuit, filed in Dane County circuit court, names 18 companies as defendants, including 3M Company, Tyco Fire Products LP, and BASF Corporation. The filing alleges the defendants knew or should have known that their products would have a dangerous impact on the public's health and environment.

The lawsuit seeks punitive damages as well as reimbursement for the costs of investigations, cleanup and remediation.

"To this day, the State continues to take necessary actions to protect its natural resources and its residents from harm caused by PFAS contamination," the lawsuit states. "The State and its taxpayers will need to spend billions of dollars remediating the dangerous PFAS contamination caused by Defendants' wrongful, deceptive and tortious conduct."

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FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO JET FUEL FIRE IN VALENCIA
https://www.hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/scv-emergency/santa-clarita-fire/firefighters-respond-to-jet-fuel-fire-in-valencia-425983
Tags: us_CA, industrial, fire, response, jet_fuel

About 1:29 p.m. Wednesday, emergency responders received reports of a fire involving jet fuel at a business on the 25200 block of Rye Canyon Road in Valencia, said Maria Grycan, Public Services Liason with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The incident has been named the Rye Incident.
Deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station are in the area to assist with traffic control and any potential evacuations, according to officials on scene.

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SAN DIEGO RESIDENTS SUE OVER USS BONHOMME RICHARD FIRE
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/south-san-diego-residents-sue-over-air-pollution-caused-by-uss-bonhomme-richard-fire/509-da158c65-310e-4611-b1c7-c871e0a7535c
Tags: us_CA, transportation, follow-up, environmental, flammables

SAN DIEGO ' More than one hundred residents in south San Diego are suing Navy contractors for their role in the USS Bonhomme Richard fire that burned in San Diego Bay, sending large plumes of smoke hovering over San Diego for nearly five days in July of 2020.
In a new federal complaint, residents say contractors General Dynamics, NASSCO, and United Support Services contributed to the massive fire that destroyed the warship. The contractors did so, according to the lawsuit, while performing maintenance on the ship and by leaving boxes and failing to stow flammable materials in safe, fireproof locations on board the warship.

The fire that erupted, says the lawsuit, sent pollutants into the air where they remained for weeks. Residents say efforts to seal the doors and windows were fruitless and they breathed in those pollutants, causing ear, nose, eye, and throat conditions, as well as respiratory issues. Many say they still suffer neurological and upper respiratory conditions from the pollutants.
"As the ship burned for five days and continues to discharge smoke and toxic substances for an even longer period of time, plaintiff's homes and workplaces became inescapable gas chambers," reads the lawsuit. "As the days passed plaintiffs continued to suffer from intense headaches, breathing difficulties, asthma-like symptoms, eye irritation, and a toxic smell that caused anxiety and fear."

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BIP ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES STATEMENT AFTER MIDDLEWICH FIRE
https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/news/20292366.bip-environmental-issues-statement-middlewich-fire/
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

A MIDDLEWICH site which was the centre of a major incident when it burst into flames on Monday has apologised to the community and nearby residents for the 'inconvenience caused'.

At its height, 12 fire engines were called to BIP Environmental Ltd site in Brooks Lane, where a fire was first reported at around 8.30pm on July 18.

BIP Environmental has since confirmed no-one was on the site at the time and all employees and visitors were safe and accounted for, although they cannot comment further at this time.

The amount of smoke meant residents were advised to close their windows and doors as a precaution and several roads were closed around Middlewich town centre ' BIP thanked people for their patience.

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

WATER COMPANIES' POLLUTION RECORD IN ENGLAND DESCRIBED AS CRIMINAL BY ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/water-companies-pollution-record-in-england-described-as-criminal-by-environment-agency/4015980.article
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, discovery, environmental, illegal, waste, water_treatment

The environmental performance of England's water companies is so poor that the Environment Agency (EA) has called for prison sentences for chief executives and board members whose firms are responsible for the worst pollution. It also wants courts to impose much higher fines for serious and deliberate pollution incidents.

The EA's annual report on England's nine water companies focuses on treatment of domestic wastewater and sewage. It says the industry has not reduced the number of pollution incidents or increased compliance with conditions for discharging treated wastewater. In total, there were 62 serious incidents in 2021 ' the highest since 2013. The worst performers were Southern Water and South West Water.

'It's appalling that water companies' performance on pollution has hit a new low,' said Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the EA. 'Water quality won't improve until companies get a grip on their operational performance. For years people have seen executives and investors handsomely rewarded while the environment pays the price.'

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FARMVILLE OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING HAZMAT SITUATION AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
https://www.wric.com/news/farmville-officials-investigating-hazmat-situation-at-wastewater-treatment-plant/
Tags: us_VA, industrial, release, response, chlorine, water_treatment

FARMVILLE, Va. (WRIC) ' Officials are currently investigating a chlorine gas leak at the Farmville Wastewater Treatment Plant.

According to authorities, units from Farmville Fire Department are on scene and, as of 10:20 p.m., Hazmat Responders from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management were en route.

At this time, officials said the extent of the leak and the danger it poses are unknown. However, nearby residents have been alerted and instructed to stay indoors as a precaution.

The toxicity of chlorine gas depends on the dose and duration of exposure, but the CDC provides some information on the chemical here.

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

PITTSFIELD SCHOOL EVACUATED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILLS IN SCIENCE LAB
https://www.wmur.com/article/pittsfield-school-evacuated-chemical-spill/40654569
Tags: us_NH, education, release, response, unknown_chemical

PITTSFIELD, N.H. '
Students at Pittsfield Middle High School were sent home Tuesday after a chemical spill in a science lab.

No injuries were reported after a teacher working in a storage room in a biology lab broke a bottle with an unknown chemical inside. About 45 students and staff members were in the building at the time, and all were safely evacuated.

Fire Chief Peter Pszonowsky said that even though no one was hurt, every precaution was taken because of the nature of the spill.

"So, with any sort of chemical, you can't tell what it is for reaction, so it's better safe than sorry," he said.

Several fire crews and a state hazmat team were set up in the parking lot of the school, preparing to enter the building and clean up the spill. Officials said they expected the cleanup to take about two hours, and the school should be back open Wednesday.

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