Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, December 26, 2022 at 7:44:21 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 (9 articles)
AIR FORCE SURVEYS FIND FALLING LEVELS OF ‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ AT FIGHTER BASE IN JAPAN
Tags: Japan, industrial, release, environmental, other_chemical
HAZMAT RESPONDS AFTER SEMI LEAKS HYDROGEN AT TULSA TRUCK STOP
Tags: us_OK, transportation, release, response, hydrogen
UMHLANGA MAIN BEACH REOPENS
Tags: South_Africa, public, follow-up, environmental, pesticides
MERCURY SPILL LEADS TO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL FOUND AT 7 HOMES, SCHOOL
Tags: us_SD, laboratory, release, response, mercury
HERALD: IN X’MAS EVE PROTEST, CITIZENS SLAM DUMPING OF ‘HAZARDOUS MATERIAL’
Tags: India, public, discovery, environmental, waste
BOKSBURG TANKER EXPLOSION: 8 DEAD, MULTIPLE INJURED INCLUDING 6 FIREFIGHTERS
Tags: South_Africa, transportation, explosion, death, gasoline
GAS LEAK AT FOSTER FARMS PROMPTS HAZMAT CALL IN FRESNO, CA
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, carbon_dioxide
AUSTRALIA: AUTHORITIES RESPONDING TO STRUCTURE FIRE IN BIBRA LAKE, COCKBURN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AS OF THE MORNING OF DEC. 24
Tags: Australia, industrial, fire, response, waste
HAZMAT CALLED AFTER DEA RAIDS DMT LAB
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, discovery, response, drugs, illegal
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AIR FORCE SURVEYS FIND FALLING LEVELS OF ‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ AT FIGHTER BASE IN JAPAN
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-12-25/misawa-air-base-pfas-japan-defense-spill-8544475.html
Tags: Japan, industrial, release, environmental, other_chemical
Levels of toxic “forever chemicals” in treated industrial wastewater at Misawa Air Base had significantly fallen six months after an inadvertent leak of residual firefighting foam at an aircraft shelter, according to a Japanese defense official and a base spokesman.
A manmade chemical, PFAS, and its components PFOS and PFOA, are found in firefighting foam, also known as aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, on some U.S. military bases in Japan. Japanese authorities in recent years have tracked similar spills at U.S. bases on Okinawa and in the Tokyo metro area.
A frozen pipe in a hardened aircraft shelter at Misawa in northeastern Japan cracked Jan. 3 and released water through a fire suppression system where the foam was previously kept, base spokesman Lt. Col. Cody Chiles told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday. Misawa is home to the 35th Fighter Wing.
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HAZMAT RESPONDS AFTER SEMI LEAKS HYDROGEN AT TULSA TRUCK STOP
https://www.newson6.com/story/63a8ba2ba2e4e57cdd4bddbc/hazmat-responds-after-semi-leaks-hydrogen-at-tulsa-truck-stop
Tags: us_OK, transportation, release, response, hydrogen
Tulsa firefighters, Tulsa Police and hazmat crews worked to contain and clean up a chemical spill after a semi truck started leaking hydrogen Sunday afternoon at a truck stop.
The leak happened at the Flying J Travel Center near North 129th East Avenue and East Admiral Place.
Firefighters say one of the pressurized tanks on the trailer started leaking and then pulled into the gas station.
Crews moved the truck to an empty lot nearby so technicians could contain the leak.
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UMHLANGA MAIN BEACH REOPENS
https://www.enca.com/news/umhlanga-main-beach-reopens
Tags: South_Africa, public, follow-up, environmental, pesticides
A picture taken on July 17, 2021 shows the popular uMhlanga Beach north of Durban. South African authorities said Saturday were investigating possible pollution suspected to have been caused by a spill from a chemical plant attacked during last week's riots after dead were washed ashore.
The spill was identified on Thursday after an agro-chemical warehouse storing chemicals used in the production of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides - was set ablaze.
RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP
AFP
DURBAN - The eThekwini Municipality has reopened the Umhlanga Main and Umhlanga Bronze beaches.
The decision to re-open the beaches was taken after results from the latest water testing. The tests confirm that the water quality is safe for swimming.
READ: No alcohol allowed on Cape Town beaches
Other beaches that are open for swimming are Point, Ushaka, Addington and South Beach.
Officials will continue to monitor Water quality at all beaches to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
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MERCURY SPILL LEADS TO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL FOUND AT 7 HOMES, SCHOOL
https://www.bhpioneer.com/local_news/mercury-spill-leads-to-hazardous-material-found-at-7-homes-school/article_2b224b2c-82fb-11ed-b297-0f22e1d54be5.html
Tags: us_SD, laboratory, release, response, mercury
LEAD — Hazardous material crews continue to clean mercury spilled at Lead-Deadwood High School on Dec. 12.
Additionally, seven homes of students were screened and all tested positive for mercury. Two of the homes required some clothing and book bags removed. One more home will have materials that need to be removed.
Three homes had minimal levels and no action was required. An additional home requires additional screening, according to a report on the matter filed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The level of mercury at the home of the student who brought the mercury to school was at hazardous levels. The report indicated that, “an unknown amount of elemental mercury from three bottles had spilled in a bedroom,” and that multiple beads of mercury ranging in size from “pinhead to dime” were found.
The mercury came from the belongings of a relative of the student’s who worked at a mine. Elemental mercury is used in various mining operations, including gold extraction. That student brought the mercury to school to show fellow students.
At the high school, mercury was spilled in the chemistry laboratory. It was also found in the art room. Initial air readings at the school indicated elevated levels.
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HERALD: IN X’MAS EVE PROTEST, CITIZENS SLAM DUMPING OF ‘HAZARDOUS MATERIAL’
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/In-X%E2%80%99mas-eve-protest-citizens-slam-dumping-of-%E2%80%98hazardous-material%E2%80%99-/198615
Tags: India, public, discovery, environmental, waste
MARGAO: On the eve of Christmas, the group of socially-conscious ‘Citizens of Margao and Fatorda’ held a protest condemning the government and the authorities concerned, including the Margao Municipality, Goa Waste Management Corporation and the Goa Pollution Control Board for dumping hazardous and poisonous material in the low-lying field near the District Court at Margao.
Armed with banners, the citizens questioned Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as to whether dumping of hazardous waste was a part of the ‘Save the Soil’ Memorandum of Understanding signed with Sadguru's Isha Foundation.
Several protesters including Jose Maria Miranda, Candeth Castello, Anthony Gonsalves, Mahesh Naik and Zarina Da Cunha strongly criticised the authorities for their ‘don’t care a damn attitude’ towards public health.
In his talk, Mahesh Naik wanted to know why the Hon'ble High Court has failed to monitor the work undertaken by the MMC and GWMC, since it is being undertaken through a PIL writ petition.
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BOKSBURG TANKER EXPLOSION: 8 DEAD, MULTIPLE INJURED INCLUDING 6 FIREFIGHTERS
https://ewn.co.za/0001/01/01/boksburg-tanker-explosion-8-killed-multiple-injured-including-6-firefighters
Tags: South_Africa, transportation, explosion, death, gasoline
JOHANNESBURG - Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Services (EMS) says it can confirm that eight people have been killed and six firefighters hospitalised following an explosion in Boksburg on Saturday morning.
EMS says a gas tanker allegedly got stuck under a bridge and caught fire.
It's understood that the tanker exploded as the firefighters were busy extinguishing the flames.
EMS spokesperson William Ntladi says the bridge has been completely destroyed.
"So the subway bridge is completely destroyed. Part of the hospital's casualty department roof has collapsed. We've got two houses that are nearby that caught alight"
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GAS LEAK AT FOSTER FARMS PROMPTS HAZMAT CALL IN FRESNO, CA
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article270390417.html
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, carbon_dioxide
3:30 P.M. UPDATE: Fire crews have left the Foster Farms facility in southwest Fresno following a carbon dioxide leak Friday, and employees have been sent home for the day.
After several attempts at shutting off the CO2 leak, crews determined it was safest to just let the CO2 tank bleed itself out, “which might take a very long time,“ Fresno Fire Department information officer Johnathan Lopez said.
There is no threat to the surrounding neighborhood, Lopez said.
The lack of visibility and cold temperature of the gas made it difficult to determine what caused the leak. Fire crews will check back in on Saturday.
ORIGINAL STORY: Employees were evacuated from a building at the Foster Farms facility in southwest Fresno on Friday due to a high-pressure gas leak.
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AUSTRALIA: AUTHORITIES RESPONDING TO STRUCTURE FIRE IN BIBRA LAKE, COCKBURN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AS OF THE MORNING OF DEC. 24
https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2022/12/australia-authorities-responding-to-structure-fire-in-bibra-lake-cockburn-western-australia-as-of-the-morning-of-dec-24
Tags: Australia, industrial, fire, response, waste
Authorities are responding to a structure fire at a waste facility along Cocos Drive near Coolibah Way in Bibra Lake, Cockburn, Western Australia, as of the morning of Dec. 24. Officials reported that winds may be blowing potentially dangerous smoke in a north-northwesterly direction, and have issued a Hazmat General Warning for Bibra Lake, Cockburn Central, Coolbelup, Hamilton Hill, North Lake, South Lake, Spearwood, and Yangebup in the cities of Cockburn, Fremantle, and Melville. The impacted area is bounded by Winterfold Road and Farrington Road to the north, Kwinana Freeway to the east, Beeliar Drive to the south, and Rockingham Road to the west. There have been no immediate reports of injuries. The cause of the fire is unclear.
Heightened security, as well as localized business and transport disruptions, are likely in the coming hours as firefighting operations and investigations continue.
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HAZMAT CALLED AFTER DEA RAIDS DMT LAB
https://onscene.tv/hazmat-called-after-dea-raids-dmt-lab-san-diego/
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, discovery, response, drugs, illegal
Task Force Team #2 of the DEA raided a DMT lab this morning on the top floor of “Steele Building Lofts”.
The SDFD HazMat and SD County HazMat teams were called in for the clean-up of the lab.
It’s not known how many people were arrested in the raid.
DMT — or N, N-dimethyltryptamine in medical talk — is a hallucinogenic tryptamine drug.
Sometimes referred to as Dimitri, this drug produces effects similar to those of psychedelics, like LSD and magic mushrooms.
DMT is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States, which means it’s illegal to make, buy, possess, or distribute it.
Some cities have recently decriminalized it, but it’s still illegal under state and federal law.5.
DMT is a newly arrived narcotic to the San Diego area.
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