Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at 6:45:56 AM
A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
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Table of Contents (8 articles)
EAST GREENWICH TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS HOLD TOWN HALL AFTER TANKER TRUCK EMITS VAPORS, STENCH IN NJ
Tags: us_NJ, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
MICHIGAN LIFTS "NO CONTACT" RECOMMENDATION TWO WEEKS AFTER SPILL OF TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO HURON RIVER
Tags: us_MI, public, follow-up, environmental, water_treatment
LAKE COUNTY FIRE: AFTER A MAJOR FIRE AT CHEMICAL FACILITY, INVESTIGATORS REACH SITE IN LAKE COUNTY. READ DETAILS HERE
Tags: us_OH, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
HAZMAT TEAM CALLED TO CLEAN UP CHEMICAL SPILL IN PLANTATION – WSVN 7NEWS
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, response, sodium_hydroxide, water_treatment
SOURCE OF ROUGE RIVER OIL SPILL IDENTIFIED BY STATE OFFICIALS
Tags: us_MI, industrial, release, response, oils, used_oil, waste
WOMAN SUES LUBRIZOL, TRANSCHEM USA AFTER SOUTH JERSEY TRUCK LEAK
Tags: us_NJ, transportation, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
PART OF GEORGETOWN TOYOTA PLANT EVACUATED AFTER HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_KY, industrial, release, injury, phosphorus
CSB ISSUES LONG-STALLED REPORT ON PRESSURE VESSEL INCIDENT
Tags: us_MO, industrial, follow-up, death, gas_cylinders, oxygen
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EAST GREENWICH TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS HOLD TOWN HALL AFTER TANKER TRUCK EMITS VAPORS, STENCH IN NJ
https://6abc.com/east-greenwich-nj-odor-in-new-jersey-transchem-gloucester-county-truck-smell/12131878/
Tags: us_NJ, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
EAST GREENWICH TWP., New Jersey (WPVI) -- Dozens of residents across New Jersey showed up at the East Greenwich Municipal Building Tuesday night, demanding answers after a stench wafted throughout New Jersey for days.
"I did feel it in my throat on Thursday and my daughter was experiencing eye irritation. So it was 'let's get out of dodge and not marinate in it,'" said Everett Reiss of Mickleton. "We did flee the county and go to the crisp, clean air of Philly for an Airbnb for the weekend."
The town hall panel had representatives from emergency management, fire, police, hazmat, toxicologists and TransChem USA -- the company responsible.
"We're here," said Dave Edmundson, a representative for TransChem USA. "Our plan is to take care of this and get it out of your community as quickly and safely as possible."
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MICHIGAN LIFTS "NO CONTACT" RECOMMENDATION TWO WEEKS AFTER SPILL OF TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO HURON RIVER
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/08/17/kozv-a17.html
Tags: us_MI, public, follow-up, environmental, water_treatment
Two weeks since toxic and carcinogenic chemicals were dumped into the Huron River by Tribar Technologies, an auto parts company in Wixom, Michigan, officials lifted a ‘no contact’ recommendation with river water after a state investigation indicated below safety standard concentrations of the chemicals in question.
The Huron River, Riverside Park, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 2008 (Photo by Cmadler)
The spill took place on the evening of Friday, July 29, but was not reported by the company until the afternoon of Monday, August 1, according to an investigation report published by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) last Friday. The Huron River flows for 130 miles through southeastern Michigan, passing through major urban areas, including Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, before emptying into Lake Erie.
About 10,000 gallons of wastewater containing 3892 pounds of hexavalent chromium were released from Tribar’s Plant No. 5 and flowed through the Wixom Wastewater Treatment Plant before entering into Norton Creek and the Huron River. Hexavalent chromium, widely used in industrial production, is known to be toxic and cancer-causing and can damage many of the body’s organs.
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LAKE COUNTY FIRE: AFTER A MAJOR FIRE AT CHEMICAL FACILITY, INVESTIGATORS REACH SITE IN LAKE COUNTY. READ DETAILS HERE
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/after-major-fire-at-chemical-facility-investigators-reach-at-site-in-lake-county-read-details-here/articleshow/93599223.cms
Tags: us_OH, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
On Tuesday morning, investigators will reach the scene of a significant fire that occurred overnight at a chemical facility in Lake County.
The State Fire Marshal's Office and Ohio EPA representatives will seek to determine how the fire started and keep an eye out for potential contamination.
Before 11 p.m. on Monday, the first reports of the fire began to arrive. The incident at 300 Edwards St. in Madison drew the attention of over a dozen different fire departments. According to the reports, the fire occurred at ChemMasters, producing concrete and mortar.
According to the officials, the Lake County Hazardous Materials Team was also called to the scene, who helped decide that there was no need to evacuate the neighborhood.
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HAZMAT TEAM CALLED TO CLEAN UP CHEMICAL SPILL IN PLANTATION – WSVN 7NEWS
https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/hazmat-team-called-to-clean-up-chemical-spill-in-plantation/
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, response, sodium_hydroxide, water_treatment
PLANTATION, FLA. (WSVN) - Crews rushed to clean up a chemical spill in Plantation.
The incident happened at the Central Water Treatment plant at 700 NW 91 Ave., Monday morning.
The substance that was spilled was sodium hydroxide, which is known as lye.
No one was hurt, as crews worked to neutralize the chemical.
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SOURCE OF ROUGE RIVER OIL SPILL IDENTIFIED BY STATE OFFICIALS
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/environment/2022/08/15/source-river-rouge-oil-spill-identified-state-officials/10330830002/
Tags: us_MI, industrial, release, response, oils, used_oil, waste
A damaged barrel at a Wayne industrial facility caused the Saturday oil spill on the Rouge River, said Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy spokesman Jeff Johnston.
Western Wayne HAZMAT workers first reported the spill Saturday evening to state pollution responders.
The hazmat team traced the spill back to a damaged 55-gallon drum on the property of Wayne Industries on Michigan Avenue in Wayne. It's unclear how many gallons of waste oil spilled from the drum, Johnston said.
"They found an outside storm sewer cover that was covered in waste oil and the spill trail led to this damaged drum," he said.
The company contracted with a cleanup company to remove the pollution, Johnston said. The cleanup work started at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
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WOMAN SUES LUBRIZOL, TRANSCHEM USA AFTER SOUTH JERSEY TRUCK LEAK
https://patch.com/new-jersey/westdeptford/woman-sues-lubrizol-transchem-usa-after-south-jersey-truck-leak
Tags: us_NJ, transportation, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — A woman claims Lubrizol and trucking company TransChem USA exposed her and other residents to "dangerous levels of chemical vapors" when a tanker began leaking chemicals at a South Jersey truck stop last week.
Gina Slavin-Borgesi of Gloucester County filed the lawsuit Friday. The Transchem USA tanker was carrying 7,000 gallons of specialty chemicals produced by Lubrizol. Related — Sickening Smell Lingers Post Chemical Leak In South Jersey
Slavin-Borgesi "suffered a range of debilitating respiratory effects and headaches" from the chemical release last Wednesday, according to a news release from her attorney.
The chemical release exposed her and other residents to "dangerous levels of chemical vapors," the lawsuit alleges.
Slavin-Borgesi filed a lawsuit on behalf of herself, and a minor she is legal guardian of. She's seeking more than $1 million in monetary relief and requested a trial by jury, according to the lawsuit.
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PART OF GEORGETOWN TOYOTA PLANT EVACUATED AFTER HAZMAT INCIDENT
https://www.wymt.com/2022/08/15/part-georgetown-toyota-plant-evacuated-after-hazmat-incident/
Tags: us_KY, industrial, release, injury, phosphorus
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (WKYT) - A section of the Georgetown Toyota plant was evacuated and one person was sent to the hospital after a chemical accident Monday morning.
Scott County Emergency Management says there was an accidental mixing of two chemicals in the “paint two” area of the plant. That caused a release of some sort of gas.
Officials say a truck carrying liquid nitrous oxide hooked up to the wrong tank, which held phosphorus.
“When nitrous oxide and phosphorus got together, it caused this chemical reaction,” said Michael Hennigan, director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security for Georgetown and Scott County.
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CSB ISSUES LONG-STALLED REPORT ON PRESSURE VESSEL INCIDENT
https://cen.acs.org/safety/industrial-safety/CSB-issues-long-stalled-report-pressure-vessel-incident/100/web/2022/08
Tags: us_MO, industrial, follow-up, death, gas_cylinders, oxygen
The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board recently released a final report detailing the cause of an industrial incident that launched a large pressure vessel 150 m, killing four people—one employee of the company and three of a neighboring facility. The April 2017 explosion occurred at the Loy-Lange Box Company, a 71-employee manufacturer of corrugated cardboard in St. Louis, Missouri.
CSB interim executive Steve Owens noted at a July 29 briefing that the report “took far too long to complete” and was the only CSB accident report issued in the last 10 months. That view was seconded by board member Sylvia E. Johnson, who acknowledged CSB difficulties. The CSB has 17 unfinished reports, “probably the biggest report backlog in CSB’s history,” she said. Johnson urged “grace and patience” from public stakeholders as the board attempts to correct problems.
On a Friday 5 years ago, Loy-Lange operators noticed a leak in the bottom of the pressure vessel as the plant shut down for a regular-scheduled weekend break. The company did not repair the vessel, which was a steel cylinder 5.3 m long and 76 cm in diameter. When the plant restarted on Monday morning, the leak expanded, releasing pressurized water and steam and launching the vessel into another nearby plant, killing three people there as well as one worker at Loy-Lange.
According to the report and a presentation by CSB investigator Drew Sahli at the board’s briefing, extensive dissolved oxygen had led to excessive corrosion in the vessel’s bottom head. The vessel had never been inspected in the 20 years it was operating, either by the company or the the city of St. Louis, which regulated pressure vessels within its jurisdiction. In 2012, a similar leak had been inadequately repaired by the now defunct Kickham Boiler and Engineering company.
The CSB investigation yielded several recommendations. One is that Loy-Lange establish a process safety management system. The agency also recommends that St. Louis and the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors fill gaps in their regulatory oversight programs.
Owens noted that one of the reasons the report was delayed was the high turnover of CSB staff, particularly investigators. Owens and Johnson, like past CSB leaders, promised to address the problem.
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