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From: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (23 articles)
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2015 07:45:29 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 00DF5FB0-B40C-4FD3-920F-9416E4629DCA**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, March 16, 2015 at 7:45:04 AM
A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas
Table of Contents (23 articles)
FIGURING OUT FRACKING WASTEWATER
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, methane, natural_gas
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL ON INDUSTRIALIZATION OF BIOLOGY: A ROADMAP TO ACCELERATE THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OF CHEMICALS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
OSHA PROBE INTO WALLINGFORD CHEMICAL SPILL FINDS ‰??SERIOUS‰?? VIOLATIONS
Tags: us_CT, industrial, follow-up, response, unknown_chemical
PROPER LABELING AND MANAGEMENT REQUIRED FOR RE-USED CONTAINERS
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, discovery, environmental, dye, methanol
LABORATORY HOOD FIRE ACTIVATES SPRINKLER SYSTEM
Tags: us_IL, laboratory, fire, response, other_chemical, plastics
BROADER TOXIC CHEMICAL RULES TUCKED INTO HEALTH CARE BILL
Tags: us_VT, public, follow-up, environmental, toxics
BLIND WOMAN SUES SENIOR CARE CENTER OVER CHEMICAL BURNS
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, ammonia, bleach
CHEMICAL ALERT AT COLLEGE
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, response, radiation, waste
EXCESS CHLORINE FORCED 70 GUESTS TO EVACUATE WALDORF HOTEL
Tags: us_MD, public, release, response, chlorine
FAMILY PICKING UP THE PIECES FOLLOWING HOUSE EXPLOSION IN PORTAGE
Tags: us_MI, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
HAZMAT RESPONDS TO BROKEN GAS METER AFTER CAR CRASHES INTO BUILDING, CATCHES FIRE
Tags: us_UT, public, fire, injury, other_chemical
HOMES EVACUATED IN LISBON DUE TO HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_CT, public, release, death, unknown_chemical, suicide
CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS WANTS TO REMAIN CLOSE TO FAMILY IN N.S.
Tags: Canada, public, follow-up, response, other_chemical
SOME FIGHTING STATE PROPOSAL ON DISCLOSURE OF FRACKING CHEMICALS
Tags: us_OH, public, discovery, environmental, waste
CHEMICAL SPILL FORCES EVACUATION AT NDSU BUILDING
Tags: us_ND, laboratory, release, response, other_chemical
HAZMAT CALLED TO DIESEL SPILL IN CORTLAND
Tags: us_OH, public, release, response, diesel
HAZMAT TEAM HEADED TO CHEMICAL SPILL IN DEBARY AFTER TRUCK OVERTURNS
Tags: us_FL, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical, bleach
FREEWAY TO REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH WEEKEND AFTER TANKER FIRE
Tags: us_MI, transportation, explosion, response, other_chemical
AT TULANE PRIMATE CENTER, SLOPPY LAB PROCEDURES MAY HAVE ALLOWED BACTERIA TO ESCAPE
Tags: us_LA, laboratory, release, environmental, other_chemical
SIERRA LEONE-CHINESE LEVEL 3 BIO-SAFETY LAB STARTS OPERATION
Tags: Sierra_Leone, laboratory, discovery, environmental
BACKPACK METH LAB FOUND IN WALMART RESTROOM IN INDIANA
Tags: us_IN, public, discovery, response, meth_lab
STATE AGENCY ADDRESSES ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AFTER DEADLY BIBB
Tags: us_AL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
COUNTY WON‰??T OK WASTEWATER FIRM PERMIT
Tags: us_CA, transportation, follow-up, environmental, radiation, sodium, waste
---------------------------------------------
FIGURING OUT FRACKING WASTEWATER
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, methane, natural_gas
Almost 3 million gallons of concentrated salt water leaked in early January from a ruptured pipeline at a natural gas drilling site near Williston, N.D. The brine, a by-product of the oil and gas extraction method known as hydraulic fracturing, spilled into two creeks that empty into the Missouri River, according to news reports. Although a state health official said the salty water was quickly diluted once it reached the Missouri, the spill‰??large by North Dakota standards‰??raised questions about the contents of the brine.
Accidental spills like this one occur with some frequency, so scientists would like to understand the contaminants they release into waterways and elsewhere in the environment. Their findings could help officials guide the cleanup of sites or mitigate damage.
---------------------------------------------
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL ON INDUSTRIALIZATION OF BIOLOGY: A ROADMAP TO ACCELERATE THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OF CHEMICALS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
The tremendous progress in biology over the last half century - from Watson and Crick's elucidation of the structure of DNA to today's astonishing, rapid progress in the field of synthetic biology - has positioned us for significant innovation in chemical production. New bio-based chemicals, improved public health through improved drugs and diagnostics, and biofuels that reduce our dependency on oil are all results of research and innovation in the biological sciences. In the past decade, we have witnessed major advances made possible by biotechnology in areas such as rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing, metabolic engineering, and high-throughput screening. The manufacturing of chemicals using biological synthesis and engineering could expand even faster. A proactive strategy - implemented through the development of a technical roadmap similar to those that enabled sustained growth in the semiconductor industry and our explorations of space - is needed if we are to realize the wi!
despread benefits of accelerating the industrialization of biology.
---------------------------------------------
OSHA PROBE INTO WALLINGFORD CHEMICAL SPILL FINDS ‰??SERIOUS‰?? VIOLATIONS
Tags: us_CT, industrial, follow-up, response, unknown_chemical
WALLINGFORD ‰?? An OSHA investigation into a chemical spill at a freight terminal on North Plains Industrial Highway in October found employees at R+L Carriers faced ‰??dangerous chemical, fire and explosion hazards.‰??
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration investigators found two repeated and four serious violations of workplace safety standards by R+L Carriers Shared Services LLC and proposed fines of $86,900. The repeated violations stem from similar hazards cited by OSHA during a 2011 inspection of an R+L terminal in Chicago.
‰??These workers were essentially defenseless,‰?? said Robert Kowalski, OSHA‰??s area director. ‰??They did not know how to evaluate the hazards involved, what personal protective equipment to use and what steps to follow to contain the spill safely. Worse, no one present at the terminal did. These deficiencies in emergency response by R+L Carriers put its employees at risk of death or serious injury.‰??
R+L Carriers is a nationwide freight shipping company with 9,000 employees; 45 work at the Wallingford terminal.
---------------------------------------------
PROPER LABELING AND MANAGEMENT REQUIRED FOR RE-USED CONTAINERS
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, discovery, environmental, dye, methanol
Statement: Re-using and repurposing a container is an acceptable practice provided the container is of an appropriate material and configuration and properly prepared for it new contents. This preparation includes correct labeling.
Discussion: A worker was refilling squeeze bottles of methanol for use in a laboratory. While pouring from a manufacturer‰??s large amber bottle expected to contain pure methanol, the employee immediately noticed that the contents were a bright fluorescent pink (figure 1), and did not match the characteristics of methanol. A review of the bottle providing this liquid showed some faint scratch marks over the original product labeling (figure 2), but nothing definitive was added to indicate what the new contents were.
Analysis: A review of the source bottle indicated that it originated in a nearby facility, and individuals relocated this bottle, along with several unopened bottles, in an attempt to reuse chemicals when the directorate initiated a lab cleanout initiative. Further review of past operations in the original building indicated that the pink color was a result of adding a laser dye to a solvent.
The attempted relabeling of the amber (source) bottle was inadequate to communicate the contents to the new owner(s). Nothing indicated the presence of a laser dye, some of which are toxic or even carcinogenic. Furthermore, the relabeling would probably be insufficient for use within the lab by knowledgeable individuals.
---------------------------------------------
LABORATORY HOOD FIRE ACTIVATES SPRINKLER SYSTEM
Tags: us_IL, laboratory, fire, response, other_chemical, plastics
Discussion: On October 9, 2014, the Argonne Fire Department responded to building 362 room E-332 for multiple (2) smoke detector activation. On arrival, the Fire Alarm Office reported a water flow alarm from the same area. The fire department crew found moderate smoke in the room with water flowing. The crew entered the area and room with full personal protective equipment (PPE) and reported the fire was out and the sprinkler was going off in the laboratory hood. Once the fire department crew verified the fire was out, they shut down the sprinkler in that laboratory hood. No personnel were injured and fire damage was limited to equipment in the hood (see photos, below).
The research being conducted in the hood at the time of the fire was to fabricate metal salt containing polymer precursors for nanofibers, nanotubes and other high aspect ratio materials using electrospinning.
Analysis: A fire cause origin investigation team concluded that: "The first fuel ignited was the solution from the syringes which contained IPA [isopropyl alcohol]. The cause of the fire was due to one or more of the syringe plunger seals failing causing solution to leak out of the syringe from the plunger end and coming in contact with the electrical components within the top syringe pump."
For more than three years, the researchers have been using various sizes of plastic disposable syringes with Luer-Lok tip. Trials with alternative syringes have been performed. They chose the plastic disposable syringe because of its construction quality, seal performance and cost. The plastic disposable syringe has been a standard syringe used for electrospinning by many labs across the country. Many syringe pumps have pre-loaded parameters for this syringe type, which adds convenience and reliability for usage.
---------------------------------------------
BROADER TOXIC CHEMICAL RULES TUCKED INTO HEALTH CARE BILL
Tags: us_VT, public, follow-up, environmental, toxics
he Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted Friday to reinstate tougher regulations on manufacturers who sell children‰??s products containing toxic chemicals.
The last-minute changes were added to an omnibus health care bill that passed by a vote of 4-1. The bill includes tweaks to Act 188, which was signed in June, and put in place chemical safety regulations for children‰??s products.
Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden, said the state should invest in thermal efficiency programs during a news conference at the Main Street Landing train station in Burlington on Thursday. Photo by John Herrick/VTDigger
The changes come as lawmakers rush to beat proposed federal regulations that would preempt any new state toxic chemical regulations, as well as a legislative deadline to vote bills out of committee. But the haste concerned opponents of the regulatory changes, who say lawmakers voted without hearing from all stakeholders.
Bill Driscoll, vice president of Associated Industries of Vermont, said the committee did not notify stakeholders that there would be a vote on the issue. Testimony was not scheduled on the agenda.
‰??I had to just, like show up,‰?? Driscoll said. ‰??It does not reflect well on how business should be done in the Legislature.‰??
Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden, who introduced the legislation last session, saw more rigorous regulations curtailed in the House last year as industry groups lobbied to scale back the bill. Lyons and advocates had planned to strengthen the law in the years ahead.
---------------------------------------------
BLIND WOMAN SUES SENIOR CARE CENTER OVER CHEMICAL BURNS
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, ammonia, bleach
CHARLESTON, S.C.
A blind woman is suing a senior care center near Charleston, saying she was severely burned when she walked through a puddle of bleach and ammonia with thin socks on.
Joyce Thomas suffered chemical burns that led to an infection and severe pain in her feet after walking through the puddle in the kitchen of Aging Gracefully Senior Care Services in Ladson in August 2013, according to the lawsuit.
The senior care center was negligent because the dangerous puddle should have been mopped up, according to the lawsuit obtained by The Post and Courier of Charleston (http://bit.ly/1EkMmuI">http://bit.ly/1EkMmuI).
The burns and complications from having diabetes for 32 years are keeping Thomas from walking.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL ALERT AT COLLEGE
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, response, radiation, waste
SEVEN fire vehicles went to a college after potentially hazardous containers were discovered.
A member of the public dialled 999 after finding several containers among building waste in the car park at Fareham College, which is currently undergoing refurbishment work.
Fire engines and specialist vehicles arrived at about 1pm and cordoned off the area, off Bishopsfield Road.
Crew manager Rob Sansome, from Fareham fire station, said detection equipment was used to work out what the containers were and whether they posed a threat.
He said: ‰??They were samples from the science lab.
‰??They had been left outside in the car park.
‰??We used detection equipment to determine what it was.
‰??There were very small levels of radioactive materials which were used for educational purposes in the science lab.‰??
He said there was no safety threat and firefighters left the scene at about 2.30pm.
---------------------------------------------
EXCESS CHLORINE FORCED 70 GUESTS TO EVACUATE WALDORF HOTEL
Tags: us_MD, public, release, response, chlorine
WALDORF, Md. (WUSA9) -- Excess chlorine in a hot tub and pool forced 70 guests to evacuate the Hilton Garden Inn in Waldorf Saturday, fire officials said.
At approximately 8:46 a.m., fire officials say crews responded to the Hilton Garden Inn located at 10385 O'Donnell Place for a report of two children who may have been exposed to a chemical reaction in the hot tub and pool of the hotel. Crews noticed a strong chemical odor coming from the hot tub and pool on the first floor that had spread to three of the five floors.
Fire officials say crews decided to evacuate about 70 hotel guests to a library across the street. With the assistance of the Prince George's County Hazmat Team, crews determined that a filter malfunction was allowing too much chlorine to get through and that caused a chemical reaction, fire officials said.
---------------------------------------------
FAMILY PICKING UP THE PIECES FOLLOWING HOUSE EXPLOSION IN PORTAGE
Tags: us_MI, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
PORTAGE, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Right now, investigators are picking up the pieces after a home exploded in Kalamzoo County Friday afternoon.
"We're going to need some help, definitely going to need some help; we have to start over," said fire victim Breanne Lemmer.
Desperation and concern were evident on the face of Donna Lemmer, as she watched firefighters, some in HAZMAT suits, rifling through what's left of her house on Meadow Street, in Portage.
Four teenagers were inside the house when the fire broke out Friday afternoon.
Breanne Lemmer ran into her mother's arms; she told Newschannel 3 that her friend had been cooking food when the flames erupted.
Her friend was set on fire, and others were forced to jump out windows.
"I helped my friend real quick, she put him out, he was on fire and I ran and jumped out the window," Breanne said.
Men in HAZMAT suits searched the house while elsewhere, Kalamazoo County Sheriff's deputies went through the garbage.
We're told it's routine to look for any signs of meth after a house explosion, but investigators were careful to stress that this doesn't mean this fire had anything to do with the drug.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT RESPONDS TO BROKEN GAS METER AFTER CAR CRASHES INTO BUILDING, CATCHES FIRE
Tags: us_UT, public, fire, injury, other_chemical
SALT LAKE CITY ‰?? Salt Lake City Fire Department crews responded after a car crashed into a building and caught it on fire Saturday afternoon, and HazMat crews were called in to address a gas meter broken by the crash‰??which sent the elderly man driving the vehicle to a hospital with injuries that are not life threatening.
According to information from the Salt Lake City Fire Department, the fire broke out at a building in the area of 624 North and 300 West. Officials tweeted about the fire at 4:11 p.m., and by 4:45 p.m. they were reporting the fire was out.
The crash broke an outside gas meter, and hazardous materials personnel were called to the scene to fix the situation, according to SLC Fire Department.
The driver, a man in his 70s, was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not serious.
---------------------------------------------
HOMES EVACUATED IN LISBON DUE TO HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_CT, public, release, death, unknown_chemical, suicide
A few homes were evacuated on Rimek Road in Lisbon due to a situation involving possibly hazardous materials, according to state police.
Multiple departments responded around 1:30p.m. Sunday afternoon to investigate a hazmat incident involving some kind of gas. State police say one person is dead and that it is being investigated as a possible suicide.
Chief Mark Robinson of the Lisbon fire department says one person who entered the affected home was transported to Backus Hospital as a precaution. No other injuries were reported.
Robinson says the regional hazmat response team responded and determined there was no risk to the public. Residents were let back into their homes and the road reopened around 8:30 p.m.
---------------------------------------------
CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS WANTS TO REMAIN CLOSE TO FAMILY IN N.S.
Tags: Canada, public, follow-up, response, other_chemical
A bail hearing for the case of a man accused of possessing volatile chemicals that led to evacuations in Halifax and Ottawa will continue on Tuesday.
Forty-two-year-old Christopher Phillips was back in court in Halifax for a bail hearing on Friday and will remain in jail until the hearing resumes Tuesday afternoon.
The court heard from Phillips's wife, Gosia, from whom he has been separated since Jan. 23. She testified she does not fear for her safety or that of her three children should Phillips be released.
The court also heard from Sgt. Lisa Ann Stuart, the team commander of the RCMP during the operation.
She said Gosia Phillips went to police on Jan. 19. Gosia Phillips told police she was afraid her husband was storing chemicals unsafely and she was also worried about his deteriorating mental health, said Stuart.
Gosia Phillips testified she went to police because she was afraid her children would access the osmium tetroxide that she knew was in a shed in Phillips' house. As well, she wanted the chemical removed given Phillips had gone on vacation and she wasn't sure when he would return.
Gosia Phillips said she would act as a surety for her husband and was willing to put up $10,000. She said she was not worried that her husband would flee to the U.S., which is where he is from.
---------------------------------------------
SOME FIGHTING STATE PROPOSAL ON DISCLOSURE OF FRACKING CHEMICALS
Tags: us_OH, public, discovery, environmental, waste
Environmental groups, people who live in Ohio‰??s oil-and-gas country, and some emergency responders say that a proposal by Gov. John Kasich to filter information about chemicals used in fracking activities through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources could leave firefighters without what they need during an emergency.
The department, some groups and residents argued this week before state legislators, already has proved it can‰??t get that information to the people who need it when a fracking site catches fire. And that worries people who live near oil and gas sites.
Firefighters, not the Department of Natural Resources, should have that chemical information, residents testified this week.
Amanda Kiger, a Columbiana County resident who testified before an Ohio House of Representatives subcommittee this week, said she lives near a hazardous-waste incinerator that is scheduled to start taking fracking waste soon.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL SPILL FORCES EVACUATION AT NDSU BUILDING
Tags: us_ND, laboratory, release, response, other_chemical
FARGO ‰?? A research building at North Dakota State University was evacuated Friday morning after a chemical spill.
At about 8:45 a.m., a researcher and student accidentally broke a glass bottle containing ethylenediamine, a chemical that can be harmful to the skin and lungs, said Craig Nelson, battalion chief with the Fargo Fire Department.
Everyone made it out of the Research I building safely, and no one was injured, the department‰??s release said.
Firefighters responded about 20 minutes after the spill with 18 people in seven vehicles. They assisted university police in evacuating the building and removing the spilled chemical.
At first, ‰??we didn't know what specifically it was,‰?? because the researchers left when they saw it start to vaporize, Nelson said. ‰??They shut the door and got out real fast, which is what they're supposed to do.‰??
Through air monitoring, the fire department was able to narrow down the possibilities, he said.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT CALLED TO DIESEL SPILL IN CORTLAND
Tags: us_OH, public, release, response, diesel
CORTLAND, Ohio (WKBN) ‰?? The Trumbull County HazMat team was called to Cortland Friday afternoon to a diesel fuel spill into a creek that eventually feeds into Mosquito Lake.
A resident on East Main Street called 911, saying he could smell gasoline and the stream had a sheen like petroleum. According to a fire official, they traced the diesel fuel to a man who was working on an engine of his semi truck.
Safety crews said there is no danger to people‰??s water.
‰??The main thing right now is we feel the water in Mosquito Lake is safe. HazMat has done an excellent job as well as EPA to help us work through this,‰?? Cortland Fire Capt. Todd Price said.
Price said they don‰??t think the spill was intentional. The Ohio EPA was back out Friday night making sure all of the fuel was cleaned up and had not made it into larger waterways.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT TEAM HEADED TO CHEMICAL SPILL IN DEBARY AFTER TRUCK OVERTURNS
Tags: us_FL, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical, bleach
DEBARY, Fla. ‰??The Volusia County Fire hazmat team is headed to DeBary where a truck carrying chemicals overturned, spilling the unknown chemicals on Friday afternoon.
The spill happened about 3/4 of a mile from Interstate 4 on Dirksen Drive, officials said. The road has been shut down while officials wait for the hazmat team.
The driver of the truck was not injured, officials said.
Preliminary reports show that the truck was carrying 1,300 gallons of some type of bleach, 550 gallons of non-hazardous ammonium sulfate and 300 gallons of aluminum sulfate.
---------------------------------------------
FREEWAY TO REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH WEEKEND AFTER TANKER FIRE
Tags: us_MI, transportation, explosion, response, other_chemical
t was like a scene straight from the movies.
A giant cloud of smoke and flames filled the sky Wednesday morning over I-94 in Dearborn.
It was so large, people could see from downtown Detroit, Garden City, Southgate and Flat Rock
A tanker truck, traveling eastbound on the freeway and filled with more than 13,000 gallons of fuel, exploded after being involved in a traffic accident.
No one was seriously injured, but the freeway suffered significant damage.
As of Friday morning, the eastbound lanes were still expected to be closed from the Southfield Freeway to Wyoming until Monday while repairs were made to the roadway. Crews were onsite Thursday removing damaged concrete.
Freeway entrance ramps were barricaded by police cars and other emergency vehicles following the crash Wednesday.
---------------------------------------------
AT TULANE PRIMATE CENTER, SLOPPY LAB PROCEDURES MAY HAVE ALLOWED BACTERIA TO ESCAPE
Tags: us_LA, laboratory, release, environmental, other_chemical
Federal investigators have finished their investigation into a bacteria outbreak at Tulane's National Primate Research Center. Although the precise route the Burkholderia pseudomallei traveled from a lab to the monkey population is unclear, some possibilities were cited.
The investigation was led by the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Perhaps most importantly, investigators "found no evidence to date to suggest the organism was released into the surrounding environment, and therefore it's unlikely there is any threat to the general population."
Still, arguably sloppy biosafety lab procedures allowed the bacteria to spread to at least 8 monkeys.
"CDC and APHIS inspectors identified lapses in the appropriate use of personal protective equipment; specifically, the correct use of outer wear to prevent contamination of clothing beneath them, which could have led to the bacteria clinging to inner garments and getting carried out of the select agent lab where research was being conducted with the bacteria on mice," an agency release said. "The bacteria could have been transferred this way to the breeding colony where the non-human primates resided and/or to the clinic where routine examinations and treatments were administered. Additionally, CDC and APHIS inspectors determined that Tulane primate center staff frequently entered the select agent lab without appropriate protective clothing, which would increase the risk of bringing the bacteria out of the lab or becoming infected themselves."
---------------------------------------------
SIERRA LEONE-CHINESE LEVEL 3 BIO-SAFETY LAB STARTS OPERATION
Tags: Sierra_Leone, laboratory, discovery, environmental
Freetown, Mar 10, 015 (MOHS) ‰?? The newly constructed Sierra Leone-China Level 3 Biological Safety Laboratory at the Jui Hospital started full operation on Wednesday, March 11, 2015.
Addressing the official opening ceremony, President Ernest Bai Koroma described the long standing relationship between China and Sierra Leone as a journey which started 40 years back with evidence of China‰??s support to national development, crisis, and human resource capacity.
‰??Every steps with the Sierra Leone-China relationship marks a significant milestone‰??, opined President Koroma.
He noted China‰??s significant contributions at the wake of the Ebola outbreak which included personal protective equipment, personnel, funds and a mobile laboratory which has now been transformed to a permanent Level three (3) Fixed Laboratory, and on behalf of the government and people of Sierra Leone thanked the Chinese Government for the invaluable support to the country.
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BACKPACK METH LAB FOUND IN WALMART RESTROOM IN INDIANA
Tags: us_IN, public, discovery, response, meth_lab
MUNCIE, Indiana ‰?? Indiana State Police said an ‰??active meth lab‰?? was found after Wal-Mart employees reported a suspicious backpack in the men‰??s rest room.
Troopers had to wear protective respirators and suits to dismantle the lab and remove the chemicals.
Nobody expects to find a meth lab in a public place, but officials say they were not surprised.
‰??With warm weather approaching and outside activities increasing, so does the potential for people to encounter toxic and hazardous meth trash or a working meth lab left unattended,‰?? according to an alert from Indiana State Police in Pendleton, IN.
---------------------------------------------
STATE AGENCY ADDRESSES ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AFTER DEADLY BIBB
Tags: us_AL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
A deadly plant explosion at Brent Industries this week have left many families in the area on edge.
Several people told ABC 33/40 they fear the air and water may be polluted after the chemical release. In fact, Brenda Rainey purchased a face mask.
"I have asthma and the air is not clean," Rainey says. "What do we know about all these chemical machines up here? What do we know?"
Brent Industries uses "mineral spirits" to clean and re-condition items for reuse, including gloves, according to its website. The plant also disposes of hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals.
The Environmental Protection Agency classifies mineral spirits as a variety of chemicals used to strip paint and remove grease.
The EPA also provided information from ScienceLab.com. The website shows mineral spirits can cause irritation to the skin and the eyes, if there's direct contact. It also reports the chemicals may be toxic to the organs, in the case of repeated or prolonged exposure.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) enforces environmental guidelines at plants. It has been informed of preliminary soil sampling at Brent Industries.
In a statement to ABC 33/40, it says "air pollutants were likely consumed during the fire. In order to protect water quality, absorbent booms were deployed to collect any grease, oil and chemicals mixed with water during the fire fighting process."
---------------------------------------------
COUNTY WON‰??T OK WASTEWATER FIRM PERMIT
Tags: us_CA, transportation, follow-up, environmental, radiation, sodium, waste
The Santa Paula wastewater facility that experienced a chemical explosion last November remains closed and an investigation by the Ventura County District Attorney‰??s Office remains active.
But company officials say operational improvements have been made and the facility will host an open house event on March 18 with hopes to reopen soon.
On Nov. 18, a vacuum truck sucking up non-hazardous waste at Southern California Wastewater ‰?? formerly known as Santa Clara Wastewater ‰?? inadvertently sucked up a chemical known as sodium chlorite, causing a 1,000-gallon chemical spill and hazardous explosion that injured five people. Since then, the Santa Paula facility has been shut out of public pipelines by the city of Oxnard.
‰??There were high levels of radioactive elements so Oxnard shut the facility out of its pipelines,‰?? said Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long, who represents the area where SCWW is located. ‰??So they can‰??t operate until that‰??s resolved.‰??
She said the company must receive clearance from the city of Oxnard, as well as clean up the explosion site, before it can start using the pipelines again. SCWW cleaned up the explosion site and disposed of waste from the incident in January, according to company officials.
And the company disputes the findings that led to it being shut out of the pipelines, as its environmental engineering consultant, Santa Barbara-based Haley Aldrich, has reviewed and substantiated company research that indicates initial testing failed to account for naturally occurring potassium levels. By not accounting for the potassium, some radioactive elements appeared to be out of balance when they actually weren‰??t, the company said.
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Ralph Stuart
secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Secretary
Division of Chemical Health and Safety
American Chemical Society
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