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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 (19 articles)
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2016 07:47:45 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 871BF087-13A9-47D2-B90C-706B367C3074**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, March 28, 2016 at 7:47:24 AM
A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pinboard.in_u-3Adchas&d=CwIFaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=6NBpu3YIFShz2VRp88Of6-AVICKTsbChg1fGBWwR4Mw&s=ni20RODA2wKSEu8nyZF5O38C6Z4tUPP8UZDC9dVt_do&e=
Table of Contents (19 articles)
SCOTS PROFESSOR CLAIMS CANCER-CAUSING CHEMICAL IN 3G PITCHES
Tags: United_Kingdom, education, discovery, environmental, toxics
CHEMICAL LEAK DOWNS MORE THAN 30 RESIDENTS IN DAVAO CITY
Tags: Philippines, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
MAN LOSES LEG AFTER SHOOTING LAWN MOWER PACKED WITH EXPLOSIVES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TANNERITE
Tags: us_GA, public, explosion, injury, metals
HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO GAS LEAK AT VICTORVILLE BUSINESS
Tags: us_CA, public, release, response, carbon_dioxide
CHEMICAL SPILL IN SOUTH DEERING PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE
Tags: us_IL, industrial, release, response, sulfuric_acid
UNEXPECTED PERSONAL CONTACT WITH REFLECTED LASER BEAM
Tags: us_NM, laboratory, release, injury, laser
VILLAGE SCHOOL BUILDING GUTTED
Tags: India, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical
SLC COUPLE UPSET AFTER CONTENTS OF MYSTERY FEDEX DELIVERY MARKED "HAZARDOUS MATERIALS"
Tags: us_UT, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
MONITORING UNCOVERS MYSTERIOUS PHOSPHORUS POLLUTION
Tags: us_WI, public, discovery, environmental, phosphorus
HAZMAT CREW RESPOND TO MERCURY SPILL IN RURAL SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY
Tags: us_OK, public, release, response, mercury
AMMONIA LEAK ALARM AT NLV DAIRY INVESTIGATED AS PRECAUTION
Tags: us_NV, industrial, release, response, ammonia
BILL TO MONITOR PRIVATE LABS PASSES MARYLAND HOUSE
Tags: us_MD, public, discovery, environmental
DEA LOOKING INTO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN COLWYN FIRE
Tags: us_PA, public, fire, response, unknown_chemical
5 SUFFER SMOKE INHALATION IN BOSTON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FIRE
Tags: us_MA, education, fire, injury, cyanide
FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS IN ENCLOSED POWDER CONVEYORS
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, dust
DEPOT CHEMICAL BYPRODUCT CLASSIFICATION REVISED
Tags: us_KY, industrial, discovery, environmental, waste
COMPANY IN A55 CHEMICAL SPILL RESPONSIBLE FOR INCIDENT THAT LEFT EIGHT IN HOSPITAL
Tags: United_Kingdom, transportation, release, response, ferric_chloride
WHEN A FIRE BREATHER SHOULD NOT TEST OUT A NEW CHEMICAL
Tags: us_FL, education, fire, response, unknown_chemical
LAWSUIT: OLD SPICE DEODORANT CAUSING PAINFUL 'CHEMICAL BURNS'; USERS SHARE PHOTOS
Tags: public, release, injury, other_chemical
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SCOTS PROFESSOR CLAIMS CANCER-CAUSING CHEMICAL IN 3G PITCHES
Tags: United_Kingdom, education, discovery, environmental, toxics
A professor at the University of Stirling has identified cancer-causing chemicals in crumb samples from 3G football pitches.
It follows reports in the United States linking cancer among 168 footballers with the pitches.
Samples of the crumb " pellets spread on the artificial turf to improve its bounce " were sent for testing by the Environment Scientifics Group, and the results were passed to Prof Andrew Watterson, an environmental health expert from the University of Stirling.
He said: "This report confirms and reveals the presence of a number of carcinogens at various levels in the rubber crumb.
"If the chemicals and metals remain locked in to the crumb, then there will be no exposure.
"However, it seems to be fairly clear that there may be some potential risk from some of these substances to sports people.
"To what extent and with what effect the carcinogenic metals and semi-volatile organic compounds may be taken up through inhalation, skin absorption or ingestion and under what conditions remains the big question."
The crumb rubber, which is made from recycled car tyres, has been linked to cancer clusters. Tests on samples revealed the presence of a number of chemical elements linked to poisoning, such as arsenic, lead and cadmium.
However, it was the prevalence of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that will cause the most concern. Research in 2014 by four US universities found polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to be "highly mutagenic cancer-causing
compounds".
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CHEMICAL LEAK DOWNS MORE THAN 30 RESIDENTS IN DAVAO CITY
Tags: Philippines, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
Davao City (CNN Philippines) " A chemical leak from a nearby plant downed residents of Barangay Lasang in Davao City on Monday (March 28).
It was around 5 a.m. when residents woke up to a stench smell and started having difficulty in breathing.
They were rushed to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) after having received first aid treatment from the personnel of Central 911 onboard the medical bus.
Residents claimed smelling chlorine in the air shortly before feeling ill.
Authorities are still investigating the source of the chemical leak.
The victims, meanwhile, are now recuperating at the hospital.
Dr. Leopoldo Vega, director of SPMC, said that a total of 31 victims were admitted to their hospital.
He said the victims were suffering from nausea, vomiting and loose bowel movement.
However, others were dismissed immediately after treatment.
Vega said they have yet to identify the chemical that downed the residents.
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MAN LOSES LEG AFTER SHOOTING LAWN MOWER PACKED WITH EXPLOSIVES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TANNERITE
Tags: us_GA, public, explosion, injury, metals
Walton County native David Presley wanted to videotape himself on Saturday while shooting a lawn mower filled with an explosive known as Tannerite. He took an old riding mower to the woods and packed it with the chemical.
While Presley was shooting at the lawn mower using his rifle, the garden equipment suddenly exploded, sending dozens of shrapnel in different directions. One of the metal pieces from the destroyed lawn mower struck Presley's leg, immediately severing it below the knee.
Lydiah Mays, one of Presley's neighbors, said that she was inside when the explosion happened.
"I heard him scream and so I came downstairs and we were all like looking out the front window," Mays said.
Presley's friends took him to a driveway near Emmett Doster Road where they were met by deputies from the Walton County Sheriff's Office. Presley was then rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, where is currently recovering from his injury.
It is still unclear exactly why Presley wanted to fill the lawn mower with Tannerite, but it is believed that it could be connected with a new viral video craze among gun enthusiasts in the country.
People who engage in the stunt shoot video clips of themselves shooting live rounds at chemical-filled objects to make them explode. They then post the clips online.
Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman, however, said that people are supposed to put only a pound of the chemical into an intended target and shoot at it only when they are at least 100 yards away.
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HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO GAS LEAK AT VICTORVILLE BUSINESS
Tags: us_CA, public, release, response, carbon_dioxide
VICTORVILLE >> Hazmat units discovered a carbon dioxide leak at a Victorville store Sunday morning, fire officials said.
Firefighters responded to reports of "white haze" coming from a welding supply business in the 15600 block of 2nd Street. Crews arrived shortly before 10 a.m. and found a gas leak in the back of the business, officials said in a news release.
A hazardous materials team responded to the scene and found a carbon dioxide leak from a 500 gallon tank at the business. San Bernardino County sheriff"s deputies were called to help isolate the area and shut down streets.
Hazmat crews used special safety gear and tools to shut the leak down and mitigate the hazard, officials said. The leak was secured at about an hour later.
After the leak was shut down, crews continued to monitor the air and tank to ensure the area was safe, officials said. The business was closed during the incident and no injuries were reported.
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CHEMICAL SPILL IN SOUTH DEERING PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE
Tags: us_IL, industrial, release, response, sulfuric_acid
A chemical spill Sunday afternoon that prompted a level two hazardous material response at a building in the South Deering neighborhood on the Far South Side has been secured.
The Chicago Fire Department responded at 3:31 p.m. to a call of a spill at 12260 S. Carondolet, according to Fire Media Affairs. Officials reported that 500 gallons of sulfuric acid had spilled.
At 5:22 p.m., the situation was upgraded to a level two HazMat, officials said.
Firefighters secured the scene at 6:42 p.m., officials said. There were no injuries or evacuations.
---------------------------------------------
UNEXPECTED PERSONAL CONTACT WITH REFLECTED LASER BEAM
Tags: us_NM, laboratory, release, injury, laser
Statement: 1. Communication among workers in multi-user labs is important so that all understand the configuration and related hazards and so they may implement required controls properly and effectively. This is especially true for special (less frequently performed) operations.
2. Inappropriate/incorrect tools and equipment in the workplace may lead to unexpected hazards and off-normal conditions for workers. Ensure that the correct equipment is available so that controls are effective.
3. Workplace conditions that make it difficult for a worker to perform a required task without removing PPE must be avoided. Change the conditions or supply the appropriate tools to allow the worker to perform the task safely.
Discussion: On November 19, 2015, a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) employee was working at the Sandia National Laboratory Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) Building 518 in a laser laboratory when he received an eye injury from a reflected, non-visible laser beam. The laser (Class 4, pulsed, wavelength 800 nanometer) is configured to split the beam into two work areas in which qualified operators conduct research experiments. During this incident, the laser output beam was being projected to both experimental work areas, although only one experimental area was actively being used. The second laser beam directed to the second work area was blocked by an optically opaque material. In the course of conducting the active experiment, and while wearing the required laser eye-wear (optical density greater than 8) the operator traced the associated beam path with an infrared laser viewing card (per procedures). Then the operator prepared to take measurements inside!
the experimental laser enclosure. To record two micrometer settings for the measurement, the operator stepped up onto small step ladder to get a better view of the micrometers inside the laser enclosure. The micrometer markings were still difficult to read from this vantage point, the operator momentarily lifted his laser safety eye-wear to increase visibility, and he noticed a flash of light in his eye. The operator quickly replaced the laser eye-wear and then, using an infrared viewer, located a stray laser beam being reflected from the inactive experiment on the opposite end of the optical table. The beam was being reflected off of the opaque piece of laser enclosure material. The laser enclosure material, not normally used for application as a temporary beam stop, was positioned at an inclined angle slightly off-vertical and consequently reflecting the beam at an upward angle toward the primary work area where the operator had been standing on the step ladder. The encl!
osure material had been placed there by another LANL operator who had been conducting experiments on the adjacent work area several days before. Once the stray beam was identified, a card was placed in front of the reflected beam to shield the stray reflection.
Immediately after the event, the operator did not think he had sustained any injury and continued working. Later that day, however, he noticed a blurry spot in the vision of his left eye. He notified his supervisor on (Friday) the morning of November 20, 2015, and was taken by CINT management to Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) medical facility for evaluation. The SNL medical facility did not find any abnormalities, but referred the operator to a local ophthalmologist for further evaluation. Further evaluations by the ophthalmologist on November 21 and November 23 identified a small spot of inflammation near the fovea on the retina in his left eye. The ophthalmologist stated that this spot would most likely heal on its own and that the blurry spot on the operators vision would go away. A follow-up visit was scheduled. The employee was released back to work without restrictions.
A critique/investigation of the incident was performed on (Monday) November 23, 2015. Based on the investigation and the presence of a spot of inflammation on the operators retina, it was concluded that the operator was exposed in excess of the associated maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limit.
---------------------------------------------
VILLAGE SCHOOL BUILDING GUTTED
Tags: India, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical
Four rooms of a double-story building of Government High School, Manglor, in Banjar of this district was gutted by a fierce fire broke out this morning.
The timbered building having a library and a laboratory was engulfed in flames within no time. However, no loss of life was reported as the building was not being used and the classes were being conducted in a new building adjacent to it.
It was learnt that there were no students on the premises as the final examinations were over.
Banjar SDM Ashwani Kumar said the fire was noticed by a school teacher around 9.30 am. He said fire tenders were rushed to the spot from Larji to douse the flames. He stated that fire fighters acted swiftly to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjoining rooms.
The SDM added that the fire intensified due to library books and laboratory material. A few office records of the school had also been destroyed.
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SLC COUPLE UPSET AFTER CONTENTS OF MYSTERY FEDEX DELIVERY MARKED "HAZARDOUS MATERIALS"
Tags: us_UT, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
SALT LAKE CITY -- An unexpected delivery for a couple in Salt Lake City turned out to contain an item labeled "hazardous materials", and the pair said FedEx didn't do anything to address the issue when they contacted them for an explanation.
Mariah Hay and Joe Schmidt said they were expecting a FedEx delivery of a suitcase, and then another package showed up at their door on Thursday.
"I went to pull the bag out, and all of a sudden I see this kind of blue liquid dripping and it says, "Hazardous Materials" on the bag," Hay said.
Schmidt described the contents.
"A six or eight gallon container and double-bagged and knotted at the top, a big plastic bag," he said. "...It had a big label that said "recipient refused", and I thought that's weird; I guess Mariah must have sent something to someone somewhere and maybe they had moved."
....
Then they called the fire department and had its Hazmat Team collect it. Jason Asay of the Salt Lake City Fire Department said their personnel secured the container and it was ultimately disposed of.
"They said it sort if smells like it might be a dental cleaning solution, possibly," Schmidt said.
---------------------------------------------
MONITORING UNCOVERS MYSTERIOUS PHOSPHORUS POLLUTION
Tags: us_WI, public, discovery, environmental, phosphorus
A new study reveals that an unknown continental-scale process is dumping phosphorus into streams and lakes across the U.S. (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2016, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05950). Rising phosphorus measured in these water bodies could lead to toxic algal blooms and degraded habitat for fish, birds and frogs.
High phosphorus levels in streams and lakes typically result from sewage discharge and agricultural runoff. But the new work finds phosphorus pollution in remote areas far from such sources, leaving researchers scratching their heads about where it came from. What evidence they have suggests the phosphorus inputs are probably linked to climate change, and are unlikely to be tamed anytime soon.
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient. But when levels top 10 åµg/L in water bodies, ecosystems start to change. The kinds of algae that feed a healthy ecosystem begin to disappear, and undesirable species take over, says Emily H. Stanley, an aquatic biogeochemist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who was not part of the study. One group of undesirables, cyanobacteria, can produce toxic blooms that threaten drinking water sources and cost the U.S. economy over $2.2 billion per year.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT CREW RESPOND TO MERCURY SPILL IN RURAL SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY
Tags: us_OK, public, release, response, mercury
OKLAHOMA CITY "Hazmat crews responded to a mercury spill in a rural part of southwest Oklahoma City on Friday afternoon.
The spill was reported in the 5500 block of South Morgan Road, just south of Interstate 40.
Officials said an antique barometer containing mercury had fallen and spilled inside of a barn. About two pounds of mercury spilled in the barn, officials said.
Larry Elliot, the owner of the barn, said his family was inside the barn getting ready for an Easter egg hunt for this weekend when he said his wife and son accidentally tipped the barometer over.
"It"s an antique barometer from the 1900s," Elliot said.
Elliot said the barometer is 42 inches tall and it contained a total of five pounds of mercury.
"It was a pretty good amount and when it hits, it kind of splatters and goes everywhere," Elliot said.
Elliot said he had heard about the dangers of inhaling mercury, and he decided to call out a hazmat crew for assistance.
---------------------------------------------
AMMONIA LEAK ALARM AT NLV DAIRY INVESTIGATED AS PRECAUTION
Tags: us_NV, industrial, release, response, ammonia
NORTH LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) "
A controlled leak of an ammonia tank triggered an alarm this morning at a North Las Vegas commercial plant.
The call came in just after 11 a.m. for the Meadow Gold plant at 6350 Centennial Parkway, according to North Las Vegas Fire Department Capt. Cedric Williams. The Hazmat Unit from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and a Clark County Fire Department crew also assisted as a precaution.
It was determined that there was no real actual leak, and the units were released.
---------------------------------------------
BILL TO MONITOR PRIVATE LABS PASSES MARYLAND HOUSE
Tags: us_MD, public, discovery, environmental
March 24--ANNAPOLIS -- A bill to monitor private biological research laboratories doesn't go as far as sponsor Delegate Karen Lewis Young had hoped, but it passed the House of Delegates 136-0 on Wednesday morning.
The bill intends to increase transparency to state authorities about the locations of Biosafety Level 3 Laboratories, facilities that can work with federal non-select agents and toxins such as tuberculosis and Middle East respiratory syndrome.
The state already uses a registry to track labs that work with federal select agents and toxins, including the Ebola virus, ricin and avian influenza.
Although a federal select-agent designation signifies greater risk, non-select agents still often pose significant risk to public safety, said Lewis Young, D-District 3A.
But BSL-3 labs that work with non-select agents don't have the same federal oversight and are not publicly listed anywhere.
"Here's our fear: You're not going to know where these labs are until there's an accident," Lewis Young said.
The bill will now move to the Senate.
---------------------------------------------
DEA LOOKING INTO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN COLWYN FIRE
Tags: us_PA, public, fire, response, unknown_chemical
COLWYN >> Chemical samples from the Delaware County Business Plaza in Colwyn, where a devastating fire ravaged the facility earlier this month, are now in the hands of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, officials said Thursday.
A joint investigation between the DEA and the Delaware County District Attorney"s office is looking into potentially dangerous chemicals housed within the plaza, in which the various tenant"s primary function is automobile repair, as state police continue to search for signs of arson, officials said.
"Some of the chemicals found were not consistent with automobile repair," said Special Agent Patrick Trainor, the public information officer for the DEA.
Both parties declined to comment on what chemicals were found. District Attorney Jack Whelan said Thursday that the chemicals in question had both a "legal and illegal purpose." But he stressed there was no indication that criminal activity was involved.
Whelan said that the chemicals removed were in four or five 55-gallon drums.
"The nature of the chemicals is being tested by (the DEA) ‰?| as to what exactly those chemicals are," Whelan said. "They took samples, they took the barrels out of there."
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5 SUFFER SMOKE INHALATION IN BOSTON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FIRE
Tags: us_MA, education, fire, injury, cyanide
BOSTON "Five people were injured Friday in a three-alarm fire at a building on the Boston University campus.
The fire broke out inside a recording studio at the College of Communication at 640 Commonwealth Ave. shortly before 9 a.m.
Nearly 100 firefighters converged on the building to fight the fire that broke out on the third floor.
"Someone said, 'It"s a real fire," so we all ran out," one student said.
The building was evacuated. Firefighters said high gas levels were detected in the building.
One firefighter, a Boston University police officer and three students were taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. None of the injuries is life-threatening.
"When we saw them, they had soot on their iPads and faces," another student said. "Hopefully, they"re OK."
BU spokesman Colin Riley said all three students were released from the hospital after a few hours of observation.
The studio"s sound insulation in the walls produced concerning levels of hydrogen cyanide. Firefighters had to vent the building, and crews rotated in and out to limit exposure.
"The fire itself was knocked down fairly quickly," Boston Deputy Fire Chief Michael Doherty said. "There was a lack of windows in the building."
MBTA service on the B branch of the Green Line was suspended from Packards Corner to Kenmore Square for a brief time.
Officials estimate the damage to be at $500,000. BU plans to reopen the College of Communication on Monday, after maintenance teams spend the weekend cleaning up the fire damage.
---------------------------------------------
FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS IN ENCLOSED POWDER CONVEYORS
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, dust
Catastrophic dust explosions during the last 15 to 20 years have placed an increased emphasis on the prevention and mitigation of dust explosions. In response to these incidents and subsequent Chemical Safety Board (CSB) investigations and recommendations, OSHA introduced a Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP) and has greatly increased enforcement efforts. One area, where prescriptive guidance often seems unclear to facilities, is protection methods for fire and explosion hazards in conveying systems. Those systems are discussed in more detail in this article.
Focus on Enclosed Conveyor Hazards
Conveyor sections are widely used in bulk powder processing and are often enclosed, in order to reduce the amount of fugitive dust emissions and prevent outside contamination. Although enclosing a combustible powder conveyor may reduce the combustible dust hazard in the surrounding area, it can introduce a new dust explosion hazard potential inside the enclosure.
The February 7, 2008 dust explosion at a sugar facility in Georgia brought increased attention to explosion hazards in conveyors. The incident led to the death of 14 workers at the facility. One theory, put forth by the CSB, is that the explosion initiated in an enclosed conveyor below silos. The CSB investigation found that a belt conveyor running in a tunnel under the silos had been enclosed in the year prior to the incident in order to minimize the possibility of contamination of sugar for food safety issues. Figure 1 shows still shots from a video produced by the CSB that highlight the installation of the belt conveyor enclosure. The CSB theorized that this increased enclosure led to the creation of dust clouds above the minimum explosible concentration that were ignited, and initiated an explosion that propagated first through the enclosed conveyor, and subsequently throughout the facility.
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DEPOT CHEMICAL BYPRODUCT CLASSIFICATION REVISED
Tags: us_KY, industrial, discovery, environmental, waste
Democrats and Republicans in the legislature may disagree on many things, but all members of both houses have voted in favor of a measure to facilitate disposal of wastes generated by the neutralization of chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot.
The measure was sent to Gov. Matt Bevin on Thursday, according to Craig Williams, co-chair of the Chemical-weapons Demilitarization Community Advisory Board.
Under previous legislation, even waste that has been chemically neutralized and then further degraded through a process called super-critical water oxidation would still have been classified as containing chemical weapons agent, Williams said.
The inaccurate classification would have required first responders to take unnecessary, more complicated and more expensive precautions in the event of a spill, Williams told committees of both chambers.
"It"s important that wastes being shipped across the highways be correctly labeled," he said, "especially if first responders have to deal with accidents."
The bill had bipartisan support, Williams noted. It was sponsored in the House of Representatives by Rep. Rita Smart, D-Richmond, and Rep. Marie Rader, R-McKee. Its Senate sponsor was Sen. Jared Carpenter, R-Berea.
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COMPANY IN A55 CHEMICAL SPILL RESPONSIBLE FOR INCIDENT THAT LEFT EIGHT IN HOSPITAL
Tags: United_Kingdom, transportation, release, response, ferric_chloride
An Irish company at the centre of the A55 chemical spill was responsible for an incident that left eight people in hospital less than four years ago.
An investigation has been launched into Tuesday"s incident, which closed a section of the A55 for more than 10 hours.
The carriageway was completely shut in both directions after a lorry carrying corrosive ferric chloride solution shed part of its 27,000-litre load on the westbound carriageway near Old Colwyn.
Read more: Investigation launched into A55 chemical spill which shut dual carriageway
Irish firm Clare County Trucking was transporting the tanker and chemical on behalf of Chemifloc, who were responsible for a spill that left eight people in hospital in 2012.
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That incident happened at the company"s Shannon site, and a subsequent Environmental Protection Agency report found materials had been stored incorrectly and the firm wasn"t fully compliant with its licence conditions.
In 2009, Chemifloc was prosecuted over "permitting emissions to the atmosphere at the Smithstown Industrial Estate" in Shannon two years earlier.
Neither of the incidents related to ferric chloride, which is used in waste water treatment.
Between this week"s spill and the clean-up operation, it was more than 43 hours until all lanes of the A55 were re-opened.
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WHEN A FIRE BREATHER SHOULD NOT TEST OUT A NEW CHEMICAL
Tags: us_FL, education, fire, response, unknown_chemical
There are bizarre stories that Jeff and Bill don"t always get a chance to mention on the air during the week, but they are so odd, they decide to discuss them on "The D List."
Jeff"s first story this week is about a professional fire breather. A school in Florida had him at an event, which is where he chose to test out a new chemical in his act. How do you think it went?
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LAWSUIT: OLD SPICE DEODORANT CAUSING PAINFUL 'CHEMICAL BURNS'; USERS SHARE PHOTOS
Tags: public, release, injury, other_chemical
Old Spice deodorant is the target of a new class action lawsuit that claims the popular brand causes painful rashes and "chemical burns."
Virginia plaintiff Rodney Colley filed the class action suit in Ohio against manufacturer Procter & Gamble earlier in March. He claims that he decided to buy Old Spice after seeing the company's "smell like a man" ads.
"After only a few uses of the Old Spice product, [Colley] suffered severe rashes,
burning and discomfort requiring [Colley] to immediately cease using the product," the lawsuit states.
Colley isn't alone either. The Consumer Affairs website and Old Spice's Facebook page are full of photos shared by Old Spice users, showing painful irritations and reactions after using the deodorant.
Multiple users described the rashes as "chemical burns," and some reported needing to take trips to the emergency room for treatment. Complaints date back to 2014.
"I need to put burn cream on it to help ease the pain," one woman wrote on Consumer Affairs. "And it hurts to put my arm down or wear sleeved shirts. It's seriously unbearable and it seems like it's only getting worse."
The lawsuit accuses Procter & Gamble of ignoring complaints, and says the company has a "pattern and practice of placing into the stream of commerce dangerous products" and "concealing it in order to continue selling the product and reaping windfall profits." 13 different deodorants are named in the lawsuit.
Procter & Gamble spokesman Damon Jones told BuzzFeed that the "chemical burns" are just severe reactions that some users would experience with any deodorant product. He said the actual number of customers who experience these problems is about 0.01 percent.
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