Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 6:13:16 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 (16 articles)
HAZMAT CLOSES LEAD-DEADWOOD HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE WEEK
Tags: us_SD, education, release, response, mercury
FUMES PROMPT HAZMAT RESPONSE, EVACUATIONS IN TEMECULA BUSINESS DISTRICT
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK SICKENS 7 AT GAYLORD ROCKIES RESORT
Tags: us_CO, public, release, injury, carbon_monoxide
AUDIT CITES TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION FOR EASTMAN CHEMICAL POLLUTION
Tags: us_TN, industrial, discovery, environmental, sulfur_dioxide
CHEMICAL SPILL IN WINSFORD
Tags: United_Kingdom, transportation, release, response, citric_acid
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILL CONTAINED IN GLASGOW
Tags: us_DE, public, release, response, waste
NEW EU LEGISLATION ON ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS AND LONG-LASTING CHEMICALS: COMMISSION PROPOSAL
Tags: Europe, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
FINAL REPORT OF 2019 TPC PLANT EXPLOSION IN PORT NECHES
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, injury, flammables, plastics
GERMAN PROSECUTORS OPEN PROBE INTO TESLA HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STORAGE SITE
Tags: Germany, industrial, discovery, environmental, illegal
ONE MAN IS DEAD, ANOTHER INJURED, AFTER DANGEROUS LEAK AT MASSACHUSETTS FOOD PROCESSING PLANT CAUSES HAZMAT SITUATION – FALL RIVER REPORTER
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, death, ammonia
POSSIBLE CHEMICAL SPILL SPOILS POINT COMFORT WATER
Tags: us_TX, public, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
HAWAII LAWMAKERS CALL FOR INVESTIGATION INTO CHEMICAL SPILLS AT RED HILL
Tags: us_HI, public, follow-up, response, other_chemical
SAFER AND CONVENIENT SYNTHESIS OF 3,4-BIS(4-NITRO-1,2,5-OXADIAZOL-3-YL)-1,2,5-OXADIAZOLE-2-OXIDE (BNFF/DNTF)
Tags: China, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrogen_peroxide, nitric_acid, sulfuric_acid
ARE EVERYDAY CHEMICALS CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL OBESITY?
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
NESREA PREVENTS 15 VESSELS FROM BRINGING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INTO NIGERIA
Tags: Nigeria, public, discovery, environmental, waste
SMALL FIRE AT WESTLAKE POLYMERS OVERNIGHT
Tags: us_LA, industrial, explosion, response, plastics
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HAZMAT CLOSES LEAD-DEADWOOD HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE WEEK
https://www.newscenter1.tv/hazmat-closes-lead-deadwood-high-school-for-the-week/
Tags: us_SD, education, release, response, mercury
LEAD, S.D. — The Lead-Deadwood School District closed its high school this week (Dec. 19-21) after a student brought mercury to school. The closure will allow the building to be cleaned and tested.
The incident happened on Monday, Dec. 12 — the day before a winter storm closed the entire district for four days.
According to school superintendent Dr. Eric Person, the student had found elemental mercury in his home.
Not realizing the danger mercury poses, the student brought it to school to show other students.
A teacher alerted the office that a student had a suspicious substance — later determined to be the mercury.
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FUMES PROMPT HAZMAT RESPONSE, EVACUATIONS IN TEMECULA BUSINESS DISTRICT
https://myvalleynews.com/blog/2022/12/20/fumes-prompt-hazmat-response-evacuations-in-temecula-business-district/
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
TEMECULA (CNS) - Fumes seeping from underground prompted a hazardous materials response today in Temecula, where a commercial building was evacuated and part of a street cordoned off until authorities could sort out the origin of the substance.The hazmat emergency occurred about 11:45 a.m. in the 28700 block of Via Montezuma, near Commerce Center Drive, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.The agency said multiple engine crews were sent to the location and encountered occupants of a business complaining of a strong odor.Firefighters initiated an investigation and detected fumes leaking from beneath a manhole cover near the structure, which was evacuated, without any reports of anyone falling ill or requiring immediate medical attention.
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CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK SICKENS 7 AT GAYLORD ROCKIES RESORT
https://kdvr.com/news/local/carbon-monoxide-leak-sickens-7-at-gaylord-rockies/
Tags: us_CO, public, release, injury, carbon_monoxide
AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — A carbon monoxide leak was reported and multiple people were sick at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center on Tuesday afternoon, fire officials said.
Emergency responders were triaging and treating patients who were suffering illness from the leak, Aurora Fire Rescue said. “Several people who were feeling sick” reported the issue just after 5 p.m. A total of seven people were assessed, with one transported to a hospital.
Fire officials later said the seven people were employees and “cooking equipment” caused the issue.
“The equipment has been shut down and is no longer causing a carbon monoxide problem,” Aurora Fire Rescue said Tuesday afternoon.
None of the patients were suffering from life-threatening illnesses.
By about 6 p.m., Aurora Fire Rescue firefighters were taking final air quality readings in the building. No further updates were expected on the incident, the department said.
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AUDIT CITES TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION FOR EASTMAN CHEMICAL POLLUTION
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/audit-cites-tennessee-department-environment-and-conservation-eastman-chemical-pollution
Tags: us_TN, industrial, discovery, environmental, sulfur_dioxide
For nearly a decade, the Eastman Chemical Company has been emitting unsafe levels of sulfur dioxide into the communities surrounding its Kingsport, Tenn. plants in violation of national air quality standards.
A new audit by the Tennessee Comptroller, released last week, found that the state has more work to do to bring the company in line with Clean Air Act standards. It is the only area in Tennessee that has failed to meet those national guidelines, the audit noted.
Eastman manufactures chemicals, fibers and plastics used in products that include paint, adhesives, textiles, sports bottles, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The company relies, in part, on coal-fired boilers to power its operations. The coal-fired plants are the source of the sulfur dioxide emissions, which can damage human respiratory systems and contribute to acid rain.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s “Air Pollution Control Division has been working with the Environmental Protection Agency for nine years to lower the sulfur dioxide release levels around the Eastman Chemical Company’s facility in Kingsport and must continue until attainment is achieved,” the audit said.
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CHEMICAL SPILL IN WINSFORD
https://www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/news-events/incidents/chemical-spill-in-winsford
Tags: United_Kingdom, transportation, release, response, citric_acid
Attendance:
Two fire engines from Winsford and one fire engine from Northwich attended.
Details
Crews are currently attending an incident on Nat Lane in Winsford where a number of containers have fallen from the back of a lorry, spilling approximately 2500 Litres of citric acid across the road.
A cordon has been put in place by firefighters, and police are enforcing a road closure.
No casualties have been involved in the incident.
UPDATE 23:09
The incident has been handed over to a specialist cleaning company and all crews have now left the scene.
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HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILL CONTAINED IN GLASGOW
https://www.wdel.com/news/hazardous-material-spill-contained-in-glasgow/article_17b56452-80c6-11ed-9790-a34c89eafaf7.html
Tags: us_DE, public, release, response, waste
A package carrying a high-level disinfectant leaked and was improperly discarded, leading to a hazardous materials situation in Glasgow on Tuesday.
Aetna Fire officials said they responded to the Glasgow Medical Center at People's Plaza in Glasgow at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, December 20, where they were told the driver of a delivery vehicle had thrown out the chemical into a waste bin.
HAZMAT crews were able to find the Rapicide PA, a clear liquid disinfectant solution, which can cause irritation of the respiratory tract if inhaled, and skin irritation with contact.
Crews were able to extract the chemical during a two-hour cleanup.
DNREC and fire department officials traced the driver to Chapman Woods, where they further investigated. They did not indicate if the driver was arrested or faces any charges.
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NEW EU LEGISLATION ON ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS AND LONG-LASTING CHEMICALS: COMMISSION PROPOSAL
https://eulawlive.com/new-eu-legislation-on-endocrine-disruptors-and-long-lasting-chemicals-commission-proposal/
Tags: Europe, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
Yesterday, the Commission proposed a revised Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals (CLP) and introduced new hazard classes for endocrine disruptors and other harmful chemical substances to better protect people and the environment from hazardous chemicals.
The Commission also adopted a Delegated Act to introduce new hazard classes under the CLP for endocrine disruptors, as well as for chemicals that do not break down in the environment and can accumulate in living organisms, or risk entering and spreading across the water cycle, including drinking water.
The revised Regulation clarifies rules on labelling and for chemicals sold online and caters for: (i) better and faster processes for all actors
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FINAL REPORT OF 2019 TPC PLANT EXPLOSION IN PORT NECHES
https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/power-city/final-report-of-2019-tpc-plant-explosion-in-port-neches/502-438ff8a7-d8a3-43c8-96c5-c80e42131ca2
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, injury, flammables, plastics
PORT NECHES, Texas — More than three years after an explosion rocked the city of Port Neches, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on the 2019 explosions and fires at the TPC Group Port Neches Operations facility Chemical Plant.
The initial explosion happened on November 27, 2019 just before 1 a.m.
Officials with the CSB said the incident occurred when a “piping section ruptured, releasing highly flammable butadiene that quickly ignited,” according to a CSB release. The pressure wave that resulted from it destroyed parts of the facility and injured two TPC employees and a security contractor.
The resulting blast was felt up to 30 miles away and damaged nearby homes and buildings. Process fluid that continued to leak from damaged equipment fueled fire that burned for more than a month.
“The incident at TPC was the result of a known safety hazard – popcorn polymer – that was poorly managed and controlled at the facility,” Steve Owners, chairperson for CSB said. “The result was a catastrophic incident that caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to the facility and nearby homes and businesses and resulted in a mandatory evacuation being ordered for everyone within a four-mile radius of the facility.”
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GERMAN PROSECUTORS OPEN PROBE INTO TESLA HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STORAGE SITE
https://kalkinemedia.com/de/news/auto/german-prosecutors-open-probe-into-tesla-hazardous-materials-storage-site
Tags: Germany, industrial, discovery, environmental, illegal
BERLIN, Dec 19 (Reuters) - German prosecutors are looking into allegations that Tesla has been operating a hazardous materials storage facility at its German site without the required authorization, local prosecutors said in a statement on Monday.
Prosecutors said the investigations are based on a criminal complaint filed by the environment office from the state of Brandenburg, where the U.S. carmaker's factory is located.
The investigation was first reported by broadcaster rbb24. Tesla did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. (Reporting by Victoria Waldersee and Rachel More Writing by Miranda Murray Editing by Thomas Escritt)
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ONE MAN IS DEAD, ANOTHER INJURED, AFTER DANGEROUS LEAK AT MASSACHUSETTS FOOD PROCESSING PLANT CAUSES HAZMAT SITUATION – FALL RIVER REPORTER
https://fallriverreporter.com/one-man-is-dead-another-injured-after-dangerous-leak-at-massachusetts-food-processing-plant-causes-hazmat-situation/
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, death, ammonia
One man is dead and another injured after a dangerous leak at a Massachusetts food processing plant caused a hazmat situation.
State Police detectives from the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office have joined Norwood Police and Fire personnel, OSHA, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, and the Fire Marshal’s Hazardous Materials Team, in investigating a fatal incident at an industrial property in Norwood.
Norwood Police and Fire received an emergency 911 call shortly after 11 a.m. Monday reporting an ammonia leak causing personal injury at a food processing facility at 140 Morgan Drive.
Preliminary investigation indicates that two men were working for an outside contractor in the vicinity of the ammonia leak when it initiated. Norwood first responders were able to stabilize and transport one man to Good Samaritan Medical Center, and he was then further transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital for specialized treatment. A second man, in his 50s, was declared deceased at the scene.
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POSSIBLE CHEMICAL SPILL SPOILS POINT COMFORT WATER
https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/possible-chemical-spill-spoils-point-comfort-water/article_eb720326-7feb-11ed-a7ad-1708e5b4b518.html
Tags: us_TX, public, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
The water in Point Comfort was deemed unsafe for use Monday morning, according to one official. As of Monday evening, residents had not received notice they could use the water, boiled or otherwise.
Point Comfort resident John Warren received a text message notice from the city at 9:19 a.m. warning him not to use the water, he said.
Keaton Dunn, who works for Inframark, the company that manages Point Comfort’s water supply, said Monday evening that the order is the result of an “operator error.”
“A chemical tank was overfilled, and out of an abundance of caution, we are telling people not to use the water until further notice,” Dunn said.
Dunn said he could not comment further.
Company officers could not be reached for comment on Monday.
It is unclear what sort of chemical was contained in the overfilled tank or what the city will do to clean it out of the water.
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HAWAII LAWMAKERS CALL FOR INVESTIGATION INTO CHEMICAL SPILLS AT RED HILL
https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/12/hawaii-lawmakers-call-for-investigation-into-chemical-spills-at-red-hill/
Tags: us_HI, public, follow-up, response, other_chemical
Hawaii’s congressional delegation is calling for an investigation into the Navy’s response to firefighting foam spills at its World War II-era Red Hill fuel facility in Honolulu.
The lawmakers said on Monday that they want the U.S. Government Accountability Office to immediately look into a leak of an estimated 1,300 gallons of toxic firefighting foam concentrate at Red Hill earlier this month.
They are also pushing for answers about a prior spill that was uncovered by Civil Beat this week. An estimated 5,000 gallons of water, tainted with firefighting foam, flooded an underground pump house at Red Hill in September 2020, but the Navy allegedly told the health department at the time that no firefighting foam had been released.
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SAFER AND CONVENIENT SYNTHESIS OF 3,4-BIS(4-NITRO-1,2,5-OXADIAZOL-3-YL)-1,2,5-OXADIAZOLE-2-OXIDE (BNFF/DNTF)
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.oprd.2c00250
Tags: China, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrogen_peroxide, nitric_acid, sulfuric_acid
A safer, convenient, and scalable synthesis for 3,4-bis(4-nitro-1,2,5-oxadiazol-3-yl)-1,2,5-oxadiazole-2-oxide (BNFF or DNTF) is described. The obtained products were fully characterized and further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The reaction process of tandem nitration–cyclization was optimized, and the thermal stability of the optimal reaction system was studied. 3-Amino-4-(carboxymethyl)furazan is oxidized and then treated with dilute mixed acid (HNO3 and H2SO4) to obtain BNFF in a yield of 52% and a purity of 99% after liquid chromatography analysis. Compared with some previously reported multistep methods that relied on high-concentration hydrogen peroxide solutions and suffered from dangerous exothermic profiles, this new method used to synthesize BNFF promises to be safer and more efficient.
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ARE EVERYDAY CHEMICALS CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL OBESITY?
https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/are-everyday-chemicals-contributing-to-global-obesity/4016664.article
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
Research in animal models suggests the simple ‘energy in, energy out’ model doesn’t tell the whole story. Anthony King talks to researchers worried about obesogens
Obesity is on the rise almost everywhere, with more overweight and obese than underweight people, globally. According to accepted wisdom, blame lies squarely with overeating and insufficient exercise. A small group of researchers is challenging such ingrained assumptions, however, and shining a spotlight on the role of chemicals in our expanding waistlines.
‘There are at least 50 chemicals, probably many more, that literally make us fatter,’ says Leonardo Trasande, an environmental health scientist at New York University in the US. An obesogen is a chemical that makes a living organism gain fat. Notable examples include bisphenol A, certain phthalates and most organophosphate flame retardants. They can push organisms to make new fat cells and/or encourage them to store more fat. Almost all of us often encounter such chemicals every day.
Over the past 20 years, calorie consumption is flat – but obesity has gone up
This may even help explain some discrepancies in data. Obesity rates have tripled since the 1970s, ticking up in the US from 30.5% in 2000 to 42.4% in 2018. ‘Over the past 20 years, calorie consumption is flat, or gone down slightly [in the US],’ according to Bruce Blumberg, a cell biologist at the University of California Irvine in the US. ‘But obesity has gone up.’ And it is not just humans. Body weights of animals such as dogs, cats, rodents and non-human primates – in research colonies and living feral – are also reported to be increasing. Blumberg and others are on a mission to persuade clinicians and others to take contributions to obesity from chemicals more seriously.
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NESREA PREVENTS 15 VESSELS FROM BRINGING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INTO NIGERIA
https://businesspost.ng/general/nesrea-prevents-15-vessels-from-bringing-hazardous-materials-into-nigeria/
Tags: Nigeria, public, discovery, environmental, waste
As Nigeria continues to tackle the proliferation of substandard products, the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) disclosed that it turned back 15 vessels carrying hazardous materials into Nigeria.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Director-General of the agency, Mr Aliyu Jauro, explained that the vessels were laden with chemicals and electronics harmful to the environment.
He cautioned that government would not allow any importer to turn Nigeria into a dumping ground for hazardous materials.
“It is allowed to import electronics into Nigeria, but such electronics must be functional and safe.
“Nigeria is not a dumping ground where any waste can be allowed in.
“Most of the items arriving in Nigeria are not good and don’t function well, so only those that are functional and are safe are allowed to be discharged.
“People are able to bring hazardous items into Nigeria because the country’s borders are porous.
“As an agency, we test imported equipment to ensure that they are working perfectly and they are safe for the ecosystem,” he said.
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SMALL FIRE AT WESTLAKE POLYMERS OVERNIGHT
https://www.kplctv.com/2022/12/18/small-fire-westlake-polymers-overnight/
Tags: us_LA, industrial, explosion, response, plastics
Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - There was a small fire at Westlake Polymers overnight.
Authorities said there was a small release with the fire, but no offsite impact.
No injuries were reported.
Several viewers reported hearing the explosion.
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