Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, October 3, 2022 at 6:20:30 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 (12 articles)
FIRE STARTS IN UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCIENCE CLASSROOM
Tags: us_FL, education, fire, response, unknown_chemical
EMA COUNTS VEHICLES WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OHIO 7
Tags: us_OH, transportation, discovery, environmental
FUEL ODOR TIP FROM CITIZEN LEADS TO 2,000 GALLONS KEROSENE LEAK INVESTIGATION IN CLAYTON
Tags: us_NC, public, release, response, kerosene
FIRE DESTROYS CHEMICAL WAREHOUSE IN LAHORE
Tags: Pakistan, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
TRAIN DERAILS EAST OF BRIDGER; 31,000 GALLONS OF GAS SPILL
Tags: us_MT, transportation, release, response, gasoline
HORRIFIC VIDEO SHOWS BARREL OF LIQUID NITROGEN EXPLODING IN BOTCHED CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENT INJURING CROWD
Tags: Spain, education, explosion, injury, liquid_nitrogen
NO ONE INJURED AFTER HAZMAT CREW RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL LEAK AT A GRAND FORKS PLANT
Tags: us_ND, industrial, release, response, ammonia
STAIN-RESISTANT SCHOOL UNIFORMS EXPOSE CHILDREN TO PFAS
Tags: us_IN, laboratory, discovery, environmental, dye
CHEMICAL SPILL REPORTED IN SOUTH ST. LOUIS NEIGHBORHOOD
Tags: us_MO, industrial, release, response, acetone
CHEMICAL SPILL CAUSING ROAD CLOSURES, TRAFFIC DELAYS ON STATE HIGHWAY 36
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, hydrogen_peroxide
CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AT HOUSTON-AREA POWER PLANT SENDS SIX WORKERS TO HOSPITAL – HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, injury, ammonia, cleaners
METHANE FLARING MAY BE LESS EFFICIENT THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
Tags: industrial, release, environmental, carbon_dioxide, methane
---------------------------------------------
FIRE STARTS IN UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCIENCE CLASSROOM
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/10/02/fire-starts-in-university-of-miami-science-classroom/
Tags: us_FL, education, fire, response, unknown_chemical
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Coral Gables Fire Department responded to a blaze on the campus of the University of Miami.
It happened Sunday afternoon after officials said a fire sparked in a science classroom.
According to Coral Gables Fire, the building sprinkler system was able to put out the flames and contain it to its room of origin.
Firefighters said chemicals were involved, so a City of Miami Hazmat team was deployed to monitor air quality as an additional precaution.
Hazmat officials gave an all clear, indicating that the chemicals in the fire were contained and did not spread, and they are no longer present.
No injuries were reported.
---------------------------------------------
EMA COUNTS VEHICLES WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OHIO 7
https://www.timesleaderonline.com/news/local-news/2022/10/ema-counts-vehicles-with-hazardous-materials-on-ohio-7/
Tags: us_OH, transportation, discovery, environmental
MARTINS FERRY — The number of vehicles carrying hazardous materials on Ohio 7 was the subject of a recent survey by county officials, and results have been released about these dangerous factors on the roads.
On Aug. 18 the Belmont County Local Emergency Planning Committee, in conjunction with the Emergency Management Agency, conducted a 24-four hour commodity flow study on Ohio 7 at Aetna Street in Bridgeport to obtain data on the various hazardous materials being transported through the county, including the quantities and time frame of these transports.
“This data is used to help the county’s first responders get a better understanding and to be able to prepare their emergency responses for the different materials,” according to an emailed release.
The United States Department of Transportation requires that vehicles transporting dangerous goods must display the appropriate DOT hazard class placards on all sides of the transporting vehicle. During the 24-hour survey period 18 volunteers and two staff logged information about vehicles with placards traveling north or south
First responders use the placard number to cross reference the shipment in the Emergency Response Guidebook. The guidebook provides first responders with critical response information on how to deal with a hazmat transportation accident during the critical first 30 minutes.
Also covered in the guidebook is how to handle small and large spills, evacuation distances in daytime or night, how to handle fires involving the chemical, personal protective equipment needs and more.
During the survey period, 342 placards were observed compared to 370 in 2019, the last time the survey was conducted at the same location. This equated to 13.5 placards per hour average versus 15.41 placards per hour in 2019.
Becky Horne, executive administrative assistant with Belmont EMA, said the office is not certain why there is a reduced number.
---------------------------------------------
FUEL ODOR TIP FROM CITIZEN LEADS TO 2,000 GALLONS KEROSENE LEAK INVESTIGATION IN CLAYTON
https://abc11.com/kerosene-leak-fuel-odor-clayton-nc-citizen-tip/12288290/
Tags: us_NC, public, release, response, kerosene
CLAYTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Clayton officials confirm a tip from someone in the town who smelled fuel led to the discovery of a kerosene leak in the Main Street area. The fuel odor was reported around 9:00 a.m. Saturday.
The Clayton Fire Department was dispatched to investigate the issue and determined there had been an accidental release of kerosene from a private business in the Main Street area; and with the rain from Ian, the fuel leak may have extended past the US Highway 70 Business corridor.
The business, where the leak originated, was notified and immediately contacted a hazmat company around 12 p.m. to assess and clean up the area. The hazmat company has been working around the clock to mitigate the effects of the release, according to Town of Clayton Communications Director Nathanael Shelton.
At least 2,000 gallons of kerosene leaked, according to what was reported to the National Response Center, Shelton confirmed.
---------------------------------------------
FIRE DESTROYS CHEMICAL WAREHOUSE IN LAHORE
https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/669988-Fire-destroys-chemical-warehouse-in-Lahore
Tags: Pakistan, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Fire broke out at a chemical warehouse located near Rohi Nullah in Gajumata area near Lahore on Sunday night and spread very quickly and engulfed the entire building, Dunya News reported.
Rescue teams and seven fire brigade vehicles reached the spot after getting information and brought the fire under control after a hectic effort of two hours.
Rescue sources said that no casualty was reported in the incident, however, chemicals and other valuables worth million of rupees were destroyed by the fire. Rescue sources also informed that the fire erupted due to short-circuit.
---------------------------------------------
TRAIN DERAILS EAST OF BRIDGER; 31,000 GALLONS OF GAS SPILL
https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/train-derails-east-of-bridger
Tags: us_MT, transportation, release, response, gasoline
About 31,000 gallons of gasoline spilled onto the ground Friday night following a 15-car train derailment a half-mile east of Bridger, Carbon County emergency management officials told MTN News Saturday.
The spill has not created risk to groundwater, area irrigation ditches or the nearby Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River, nor has it presented harm to livestock, officials said.
Barriers were set back 500 feet around the area to protect against exposure to vapors from the crash, and no one was injured, officials said. Evacuation warnings have been issued for the area.
The rail cars were carrying sorghum, animal fat, coal, gasoline and other products, according to officials. Photos from the scene show damaged tanker cars and containers from Walmart.
Several roads, including East Bridger Road and South River Road, have been closed in the area of the cleanup. Drivers are asked to avoid the area.
---------------------------------------------
HORRIFIC VIDEO SHOWS BARREL OF LIQUID NITROGEN EXPLODING IN BOTCHED CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENT INJURING CROWD
https://meaww.com/liquid-nitrogen-barrel-explodes-botched-chemistry-experiment-15-people-injured-9-children-spain
Tags: Spain, education, explosion, injury, liquid_nitrogen
GIRONA, SPAIN: A horrifying video shows the moment when a barrel of liquid nitrogen exploded during a school science experiment in Spain which caused 15 people including 9 children to be hospitalized. The blast from the botched experiment left the victims with severe burns which took place at the House of Culture in Girona, Spain. They were later treated at Placa de l'Hospital, according to Daily Mail.
The footage shows the crowd consisting mainly of students and their parents, waiting eagerly to see the experiment, some even took their phones out to record the event. Deni Jaminez, the professor behind the experiment, and his assistant were most affected by the explosion and were also rushed to Trueta hospital for emergency treatment. One of the injured is said to be 'between a serious and less serious' condition in hospital. Girona's mayor Marta Madrenas said the event was organized by the local university. The crowd was hyped by the organizers when they played 'Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk and encouraged them to look in the barrels.
---------------------------------------------
NO ONE INJURED AFTER HAZMAT CREW RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL LEAK AT A GRAND FORKS PLANT
https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/10/01/no-one-injured-after-hazmat-crew-responds-chemical-leak-grand-forks-plant/
Tags: us_ND, industrial, release, response, ammonia
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) - HAZMAT crews were called to the Simplot plant in Grand Forks Saturday morning after an ammonia leak.
Upon arrival, all employees had already been evacuated.
The HAZMAT crew worked with Simplot employees to locate the leak.
Once it was found, the leak was controlled within about two hours.
---------------------------------------------
STAIN-RESISTANT SCHOOL UNIFORMS EXPOSE CHILDREN TO PFAS
https://cen.acs.org/environment/persistent-pollutants/Stain-resistant-school-uniforms-expose/100/web/2022/09
Tags: us_IN, laboratory, discovery, environmental, dye
High levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been found on school uniforms available throughout the US and Canada, potentially exposing millions of children to these compounds (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2022, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02111). Exposure to PFAS has been associated with a wealth of negative health effects, including reduced vaccine effectiveness as well as increased risk of liver disease and cancer.
According to the study’s senior author Marta Venier, an environmental chemist at Indiana University, children are especially vulnerable to these health risks due to their small size and developing bodies. “We really don’t need more information to decide that it’s not a good idea to use PFAS in children’s items,” she says.
Yet PFAS are frequently applied to uniforms in order to make them more stain resistant. Once they’re applied, researchers suspect that a fraction of these compounds could be absorbed by children’s skin whenever the garment is worn. Some of the more volatile PFAS, like 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH)—the main compound Venier and her colleagues found in the analyzed uniform brands—could also enter the body through inhalation. In addition, the PFAS can be released into the environment every time the uniforms are washed.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL SPILL REPORTED IN SOUTH ST. LOUIS NEIGHBORHOOD
https://www.kmov.com/2022/09/30/chemical-spill-reported-south-st-louis-neighborhood/
Tags: us_MO, industrial, release, response, acetone
SOUTH ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - First responders were called to a South City neighborhood following a chemical spill Friday.
A Hazardous Materials Task Force is assisting the St. Louis City Fire Department after a 55-gallon drum of acetone ruptured near the Sigma-Aldrich building on South 2nd Street just before 12:30 p.m.
No additional information has been released.
This is a developing story. News 4 will update with more information.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL SPILL CAUSING ROAD CLOSURES, TRAFFIC DELAYS ON STATE HIGHWAY 36
https://ktxs.com/news/local/chemical-spill-causing-road-closures-traffic-delays-on-state-highway-36
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, hydrogen_peroxide
A truck tractor semi-tank trailer rollover crash that occurred around 2am this morning and resulted in a chemical spill has closed down State Highway 36, just three miles west of Rising Star.
According to a press release from the Texas Department of Public Safety, a truck tractor semi-tank trailer was transporting a cargo tank containing hydrogen peroxide when it lost control and overturned on the roadway. The vehicle skidded on its side, causing the tank to rupture and spill some of its chemical contents.
State Highway 36 has been closed for cleanup and motorists are being urged to avoid the area if possible. Anyone traveling near the crash site should expect delays. Traffic traveling East on State Highway 36 is being detoured at Cross Plains, and traffic traveling west is being detoured at Rising Star.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AT HOUSTON-AREA POWER PLANT SENDS SIX WORKERS TO HOSPITAL – HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2022/09/30/434277/chemical-exposure-at-houston-area-power-plant-sends-six-workers-to-hospital/
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, injury, ammonia, cleaners
Six workers were hospitalized and another 100 were evaluated by medical personnel Thursday because of a chemical exposure at a power plant southwest of Houston.
A hazardous materials response team and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the W.A. Parish Generating Station near Richmond after multiple 911 calls were placed regarding a chemical exposure, according to a statement released Thursday night on Twitter by Fort Bend County Judge KP George. The chemical was initially feared to be ammonia but later determined to be a biodegradable cleaner and degreaser that was overly applied, according to the statement.
The six workers who were hospitalized – with symptoms including dizziness and difficulty breathing, according to Fort Bend County – had been released as of Friday morning, NRG Energy said in a statement provided to Houston Public Media. The local energy company, which owns and operates the power plant, said no hazardous materials had been released at the plant and "there is no danger to area residents or the public."
Ann Duhon, a spokesperson for NRG, said Friday that work is suspended in the part of the plant where the chemical exposure occurred. It is one of eight power-generating units at the plant – where four are coal-fired and four are gas-fired – and has been offline and undergoing cleanup after it was damaged by a fire in May.
"It's under investigation to determine the cause of the incident," Duhon said. "Work will not resume (in the impacted unit) until we determine the cause of the event and are confident all workers are safe."
NRG said it was notified at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday that contract workers who were using a cleaning agent in the fire-damaged unit reported an unusual smell. A total of 106 workers at the plant were subsequently evaluated on site by medical personnel, with six being taken to nearby hospitals, according to Fort Bend County.
---------------------------------------------
METHANE FLARING MAY BE LESS EFFICIENT THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
https://cen.acs.org/environment/greenhouse-gases/Methane-flaring-less-efficient-previously/100/web/2022/09
Tags: industrial, release, environmental, carbon_dioxide, methane
Throughout the oil extraction and refining process, methane is produced as a by-product. When there’s no economic incentive to capture that methane, oil companies usually opt to burn off the gas at the wellhead. This purpose of this practice, called flaring, converts the methane into carbon dioxide. Because of CO2’s lower global warming potential, this conversion ends up having less of a climate impact than if these companies vented methane directly.
However, a new study suggests that the efficiency of flaring might be lower than previously thought (Science 2022, DOI: 10.1126/science.abq0385). Instead of the 98% conversion rate generally assumed by theUS Environmental Protection Agency, the study’s authors found that that number might actually be closer to 91% because of a combination of poor combustion and unlit flares.
The finding is based on measurements collected in three regions that account for the vast majority of gas volume flared in the country. As such, “one could posit that this is probably pretty representative” of flares found across the US, says Eric Kort, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan who worked on the project.
A 7% percentage drop might not seem particularly noteworthy. But Kort emphasizes that this small difference is still impactful because of the sheer amount of flaring that happens in the US. This lower efficiency could mean that methane emissions from flares could be up to five times as great as what current estimates suggest, equivalent to adding 3 million cars to the road every year, Kort notes.
---------------------------------------------
---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter @acsdchas