Dear Ones,

I would like to add to the discussion as a safety consultant to schools in our area. When a major industry in our area closed, they "donated" chemicals to the local HS years ago ( 70's or 80''s). EPA had a program (in the 90's?) where they would collect at a reduced cost to the school " hazardous chemicals". This was a day or two prior to the collection of "household hazardous waste" in the community.

I was called upon to help distinguish between "hazardous", non hazardous and recycle chemicals. Our university received the "recycled" chemicals as a donation of chemicals that we could use. It was a "win-win" situation. I can give more details, names, etc. when back to school.

Blessings

Marlyn Newhouse, D.A.
Associate Professor of Chemistry
1050 Union University Drive
Jackson TN 38305

731-661-5295
mnewhouse**At_Symbol_Here**uu.edu
>
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From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] on behalf of Nail, John [jnail**At_Symbol_Here**OKCU.EDU]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2015 10:17 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (16 articles)

First, a correction: Dupo (IL) HS, not Dupont.

Now, more to the point ? I'm not surprised that a HS chemistry lab would have potassium cyanide ? likely it was purchased decades ago ? chem labs and safety issues were MUCH different then than today. Many of us remember the picric acid in HS chemistry lab stockroom stories.

Don't assume that the education environment is anything like the industrial environment in regards to health and safety.

The problem is that for many schools, including some colleges and universities, there isn't a good way of disposing of chemicals such as KCN as the personnel involved may not know who to call or much more likely, don't have the funds to pay for hazardous waste disposal. I note that KCN is on EPA's 'P' list ? EPA regulations (at least those from 10 years ago) made it very difficult for CESQGs to dispose of more than 1 kg of P listed waste.

If you can't reasonably easily dispose of a chemical, the default is to keep it; the result is that it occupies stockroom space until an unintended event occurs.

John Nail
Professor of Chemistry
Oklahoma City University

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List > on behalf of McGrath Edward J >
Reply-To: DCHAS-L >
Date: Monday, July 27, 2015 9:10 AM
To: "DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU" >
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (16 articles)

Re: the chemical spill at Dupont High School:

What in the WORLD was potassium cyanide doing in a high school in the first place?

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CHEMICAL SPILL AT DUPO HIGH SCHOOL
Tags: us_IL, laboratory, release, response, cyanide

DUPO, IL (KTVI) ? A St. Clair County hazmat crew was called to Dupo High School Friday night after a potentially dangerous chemical spill.

A teacher conducting inventory in the school science lab accidentally knocked over a bottle of potassium cyanide. The chemical can be dangerous to inhale if it interacts with other chemicals.

Residents in nearby homes were told to stay inside their homes and a few businesses had to be evacuated.

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