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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 (18 articles)
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2017 07:48:25 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: F50D171A-5E43-46AA-B1DD-B78E90A1BD66**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 7:47:23 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 (18 articles)
COMPLAINTS SPARK FIREHOUSE AIR QUALITY TESTS IN FAIRFAX CO. 00:02 01:50
Tags: us_va, fire, industrial, injuries, unknown_chemical
7 PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER AMMONIA LEAK AT STREAMWOOD FOOD PLANT: OFFICIALS
Tags: us_il, industrial, release, injuries, ammonia
MELBOURNE CSIRO LAB EXPLOSION, MAN HURT
Tags: australia, laboratory, explosion, injuries, unknown_chemical
NHA LAB FIRE
Tags: south_africa, fire, laboratory, response, unknown_chemical
CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION
Tags: us_pa, industrial, explosion, injuries, unknown_chemical
7 ON YOUR SIDE: WATER TESTING SHOWS CHEMICAL REACTION DISCOLORS TYLER WATER
Tags: us_tx, public, release, enviromental, response
FIVE STUDENTS SICKENED BY POSSIBLE CHEMICAL REACTION AT PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL
Tags: us_pa, education, release, pool_chemicals, injuries, chlorine
BPA-FREE PLASTIC MAY HOST BPA-LIKE CHEMICAL, TEEN FINDS
Tags: us_fl, discovery, public, environmental, laboratory
COURT REVERSES U.S. APPROVAL OF NANOSILVER PESTICIDE
Tags: us, public, discovery, environmental, nanosilver
COLCHESTER INDUSTRIAL PARK FIRE: SIX PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER FUMES LEAKED
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical
EPA ‰??SAFER CHOICE‰?? LABEL PROGRAM, CRITERIA UNDER FIRE
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
HAZMAT TEAM CALLED TO PHILLIPS PARK IN AURORA AFTER CHEMICAL SPILLS NEAR POOL
Tags: us_IL, public, release, response, hydrochloric_acid, pool_chemicals
8 KILLED IN EAST CHINA CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION, FIRE
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, petroleum
TANKER TRUCK ROLLOVER CAUSES CHEMICAL LEAK
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, other_chemical
UNDER TRUMP, WORKER PROTECTIONS ARE VIEWED WITH NEW SKEPTICISM
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
EPA ON PATH TO ELIMINATE BACKLOG OF NEW CHEMICALS AWAITING EPA APPROVAL
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
SPILL SAFETY: WAYS TO PREPARE FOR A CHEMICAL EMERGENCY
Tags: us_KY, public, discovery, environmental, cleaners, gasoline
NEWLY IDENTIFIED MICROBIAL PROCESS COULD REDUCE TOXIC METHYLMERCURY LEVELS
Tags: us_TN, laboratory, discovery, environmental, mercury
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COMPLAINTS SPARK FIREHOUSE AIR QUALITY TESTS IN FAIRFAX CO. 00:02 01:50
Tags: us_va, fire, industrial, injuries, unknown_chemical
After a Fairfax County fire truck went up in flames at a Springfield fire station on May 14, some firefighters have complained about health issues.
They want to know if the air quality is OK for them to breathe.
The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical issue in a truck parked in one of the two bays at Station 26.
Now, the walls of that bay are completely down and a fresh coat of paint has been applied to the outside and inside. Cleaning crews were still polishing the floors on Tuesday.
Firefighters have been working there during and since the blaze, but were sent to sleep at two other stations while their building was cleaned and refurbished.
After the living quarters were fixed up, staff were brought back. Then, two fire fighters complained of headaches and weakness. The living area was put in limited use while staff went back to sleeping elsewhere.
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7 PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER AMMONIA LEAK AT STREAMWOOD FOOD PLANT: OFFICIALS
Tags: us_il, industrial, release, injuries, ammonia
An ammonia leak at a food processing plant in northwest suburban Streamwood sent seven people, including two firefighters, to the hospital, fire officials said.
The leak was reported about 11:30 p.m. Monday night at Fresh Express in the 1100 block of East Lake Street. When firefighters arrived, building employees said the leak was coming from the refrigeration system and several workers were complaining of having difficulty breathing.
The emergency call was elevated to a hazardous material incident, which brought additional firefighters and technicians from other fire departments, with large fans used to remove the fumes from the structure.
Five employees were taken to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates for treatment. Their condition was not known Tuesday afternoon. Two firefighters who were exposed to vapors also were transported and later released, officials said.
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MELBOURNE CSIRO LAB EXPLOSION, MAN HURT
Tags: australia, laboratory, explosion, injuries, unknown_chemical
A man has been injured in an explosion at a CSIRO laboratory in Melbourne.
The CSIRO has confirmed a man suffered minor injuries in a small explosion in a lab at its Clayton facility on Tuesday afternoon.
"A piece of laboratory equipment got over pressurised and exploded. A bit of panelling was blown out but nothing too extensive," a CSIRO spokesman said on Wednesday.
An ambulance spokesman said the man suffered facial burns and minor injuries and was taken to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition.
---------------------------------------------
NHA LAB FIRE
Tags: south_africa, fire, laboratory, response, unknown_chemical
The National Horseracing Authority has confirmed that a fire broke out in its Laboratory, situated at Turffontein Racecourse, on Sunday, 4 June 2017.
Fire damage to the lab
Whilst the fire was readily contained with the assistance of the fire brigade, some of the equipment in the laboratory was damaged.
The extent of the damage is being assessed, by the insurance company. Early indications suggest that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, however, this is yet to be confirmed.
Reports indicate that the integrity of samples stored in the Laboratory was not compromised by the fire and the NHA confirms that the regular collection of samples will continue as normal. Samples will be stored as usual and will be tested once the Laboratory is fully operational again.
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CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION
Tags: us_pa, industrial, explosion, injuries, unknown_chemical
Snyder Township, Blair County, Pa - A explosion at the Albemarle Chemical Plant in Tyrone injured three employees.
It happened Monday night around 10:30 p.m. At this time it is not known what triggered the explosion.
Blair County emergency officials say the workers were burned with hot oil. Company officials say the three people were taken to UPMC Altoona by Ambulance. Two of the workers were released shortly afterwards with minor burns and lacerations.
A third workers had more serious burn injuries and is currently being treated at the Burn Center at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh.
His injuries are not life threatening.
---------------------------------------------
7 ON YOUR SIDE: WATER TESTING SHOWS CHEMICAL REACTION DISCOLORS TYLER WATER
Tags: us_tx, public, release, enviromental, response
TYLER, TX (KLTV) -
Testing performed today by the City of Tyler after a homeowner‰??s complaint has revealed that a temporary disinfectant process combined with iron pipes is the cause for discolored water.
The city of Tyler began a 30-day ‰??free chlorine conversion process‰?? on May 21, during a boil water notice for a portion of the city.
They say the process which involves switching disinfectants used on the city‰??s water supply caused a chemical reaction in pipes like those in Allen Arrick‰??s home in the 700 block of South Palace Avenue.
"I don't want to drink it, I have a toddler and wife who's 26 weeks pregnant," Arrick said.
Arrick does not live in the area that was issued the recent boil water notice, but says his water took on a yellow tint around that time. He said he has called the city twice since then to report the issue.
The city was made aware of his water issues on Monday, when both Arrick and KLTV contacted them. On Tuesday, as we were getting ready to interview Arrick, a crew was sent to sample the water in his home.
City crews took an outside water sample from their pipes to see where the issue lies, whether a problem with pipes in the home, or a problem with the water supply.
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FIVE STUDENTS SICKENED BY POSSIBLE CHEMICAL REACTION AT PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL
Tags: us_pa, education, release, pool_chemicals, injuries, chlorine
FALLS ‰?? Five students who had just finished swim class at Pennsbury High School Tuesday suffered respiratory issues.
The school nurse was called to the pool house for possible chemical exposure at about 2 p.m., according to the district's website. The building immediately was evacuated.
School officials said 21 students had participated in the class, but only five complained of respiratory issues. The five students were taken by ambulance to area hospitals to be examined. Four of the students were taken to Aria Health Bucks County in Falls and one to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown, said Falls Fire Marshal Richard Dippolito.
The parents of the 21 students were notified by school officials.
Dippolito said the incident occurred after a pool maintenance man cleaned a filtering system for the pool.
Dippolito theorizes that some cleaning acid might have been left in a "pit" under a floor and reacted with chlorine, creating a chlorine cloud, which is not visible.
The incident remains under investigation to determine what chemicals came in contact with the students.
---------------------------------------------
BPA-FREE PLASTIC MAY HOST BPA-LIKE CHEMICAL, TEEN FINDS
Tags: us_fl, discovery, public, environmental, laboratory
LOS ANGELES, Calif. ‰?? Most people probably don‰??t think much about what is in the plastics they use. But Anna Kucera, 16, did. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a building block of the clear, hard plastics long used in many products, especially water bottles. But when health concerns about BPA emerged, many companies began making their clear plastic with other substances. And that made the junior at Canterbury School in Fort Myers, Fla., wonder what replaced the BPA in ‰??BPA-free‰?? plastics. With a bit of chemistry, she now shows that in some plastics, BPA has been replaced with one of its potentially toxic chemical cousins. Known as bisphenol F, or BPF, this other chemical leaches out of those plastics at amounts 10 times higher than the levels that leach from BPA-based plastics.
The teen showed off the results of her project at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, or ISEF. The competition brought together 1,800 high school students from around the world to show off their research this year. (ISEF was created by Society for Science & the Public and is sponsored by Intel. SSP also publishes Science News for Students and this blog.)
Many hard clear plastic products used for eating, drinking or with kitchen appliances are made from polycarbonate. BPA is this plastic's basic building block. Studies have shown BPA can leach out of heated water bottles or the paper for store receipts. BPA can then enter the body. There, its acts as an endocrine disruptor. That means that it mimics the actions of hormones ‰?? chemicals from glands that play important roles throughout the body.
---------------------------------------------
COURT REVERSES U.S. APPROVAL OF NANOSILVER PESTICIDE
Tags: us, public, discovery, environmental, nanosilver
In a win for environmental and public health groups, a federal appeals court revoked EPA‰??s approval of an antimicrobial product containing nanosilver. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on May 30 that EPA failed to show that its approval of the product, called NSPW-L30SS or Nanosilva, was in the public‰??s interest. The agency approved Nanosilva for use in textiles and plastics in May 2015, under the condition that, within four years, the manufacturer would generate safety data to determine the product‰??s effects on human health and the environment. EPA claimed that the nanosilver product had a lower application rate and a lower mobility rate compared with conventional silver-based antimicrobials. The product thus had the potential to reduce the amount of silver released into the environment, EPA said. A coalition of environmental groups challenged EPA‰??s decision, claiming the agency failed to assess the risks of Nanosilva to humans and the environmen!
t. ‰??Nanosilver is known to be highly toxic to aquatic life and may be hazardous to people,‰?? says Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the environmental groups that challenged the approval of Nanosilva. ‰??EPA rushed to judgment by approving it, leaving consumers to be guinea pigs,‰?? she says. ‰??Now the agency must take a closer look at its potential to cause harm.‰??
---------------------------------------------
COLCHESTER INDUSTRIAL PARK FIRE: SIX PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER FUMES LEAKED
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical
Six people were taken to hospital after inhaling fumes that had leaked out of a machine in an industrial park in Colchester.
Four fire engines and a Hazmat vehicle, which has specialist equipment to safely deal with incidents involving hazardous materials, attended the scene at Earls Colne Industrial Park earlier today (June 5).
Firefighters wore breathing apparatus as they evacuated the building and made sure the scene was safe.
---------------------------------------------
EPA ‰??SAFER CHOICE‰?? LABEL PROGRAM, CRITERIA UNDER FIRE
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
Does a detergent that Procter & Gamble Co. makes merit a ‰??safer‰?? label designation? The issue has re-ignited a debate among trade association executives over the type of analysis needed to justify such labels.
Some sections of the chemical industry would like to see the Environmental Protection Agency adopt a risk-based approach that would consider additional factors when determining what products qualify for a Safer Choice label. However, other business voices and environmental advocates have voiced opposition to such a move, which one chemical industry specialist said could lead to endless debates over chemical risk estimates.
The debate over the EPA‰??s approach to reviewing products occurs as continued funding for the Safer Choice program is uncertain: the White House‰??s fiscal year 2018 budget request would zero out funding for those activities.
Three CEOs recently discussed the future of the Safer Choice program, a voluntary initiative through which companies can demonstrate that their products are made with chemicals that are safer or more environmentally-friendly than alternatives. Companies seek the Safer Choice label to show customers that there are eco-friendly, less toxic household products on the market.‰??Chemicals in commerce should be assessed based on their risk and exposure,‰?? Cal Dooley, president and CEO of the American Chemistry Council said May 18 during the Consumer Specialty Products Association‰??s mid-year meeting. ‰??We will consistently oppose any assessment of chemicals that is based on a hazard-only approach,‰?? he said.
The CEO for another trade association and chemical policy specialists from environmental and labor groups argued that hazard-based approaches present clear criteria consumers can trust.
A hazard-based approach looks only at the properties of an ingredient, such as the ability of table salt to raise blood pressure. A risk-based approach also would consider the probability that the hazard would happen, taking into consideration factors such as level and frequency of exposure.
Dooley said P&G‰??s Tideå¨ Coldwater detergent is a ‰??classic example‰?? of the problems that arise with hazard-based chemical assessment. The detergent cleans clothes without the need for hot water thereby reducing consumers‰?? energy bills, according to P&G.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT TEAM CALLED TO PHILLIPS PARK IN AURORA AFTER CHEMICAL SPILLS NEAR POOL
Tags: us_IL, public, release, response, hydrochloric_acid, pool_chemicals
Aurora Fire officials say a HazMat team was called in Saturday to Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center on Montgomery Road on the the city's east side, after an employee noticed an unknown substance leaking from an out-building not far from patrons who were swimming.
The employee noticed the leak around 6:15 p.m. on Saturday when authorities were called.
Aurora Fire Department Captain Jim Rhodes says an investigation determined that substance was hydrochloric acid -- a chemical used to raise the pH level of water in swimming pools.
It was estimated that the 10 gallons of the hydrochloric acid leaked from a 30 gallon tank. HazMat teams used chemicals to neutralize the substance that had leaked from the tank without incident.
Fire officials say the tank apparently leaked due to a 500 gallon poly tank that was filled the day before. It is uncertain why, but the large tank back-filled with water from a pool water line and began to push the hydrochloric acid into the 30 gallon tank, which resulted in the spill.
---------------------------------------------
8 KILLED IN EAST CHINA CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION, FIRE
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, petroleum
Eight people were killed and nine injured in an explosion and fire Monday at a chemical plant in eastern China's Shandong province, local authorities and media reports said.
The accident was triggered by an explosion of a liquefied gas tanker in a loading area at the Linyi Jinyu Petrochemical Co. plant at about 1 a.m., the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
The blast set ablaze several fuel storage tanks at the site in the Lingang Economic Zone in the city of Linyi. Nearby areas were evacuated.
The plant's owner was detained by police and the injured were taken to a local hospital.
The fire was brought under control by late Monday afternoon after more than 900 firefighters responded, the Lingang Economic Zone said in a statement posted on the internet.
---------------------------------------------
TANKER TRUCK ROLLOVER CAUSES CHEMICAL LEAK
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, other_chemical
A section of King Street was closed to traffic Monday evening due to a tanker truck that had rolled onto its side.
The rollover occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m., at King and Lobsinger Line between Waterloo and St. Jacobs.
According to emergency crews at the scene, magnesium chloride ‰?? a chemical which is not considered to be a hazardous material ‰?? began to leak from the truck after the crash. Some of it entered a storm sewer.
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UNDER TRUMP, WORKER PROTECTIONS ARE VIEWED WITH NEW SKEPTICISM
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
The victory was so sweet that the head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent thank-you notes to his employees.
Nearly four decades in the making, a new rule under the Obama administration was set to lower workplace exposure to beryllium, an industrial mineral linked to a lung disease that is to estimated to kill 100 people annually. And the nation‰??s largest beryllium producer had agreed to back the new restrictions.
‰??Once we finish, these workers will be protected and we will end the epidemic of beryllium exposure in the United States,‰?? David Michaels, the OSHA chief, said at the time in 2015.
But several weeks ago, just as the rule was going into effect, the safety agency suddenly proposed changes that experts expect may exempt major industries from the tougher standard. It was one of several instances in which workplace safety decisions have been revisited in the early months of the Trump administration.
Continue reading the main story
OSHA has also put off enforcement of an Obama-era standard for another respiratory hazard ‰?? silica, a mineral linked to a disabling lung disease as well as cancer ‰?? and it has delayed action on a rule that would require employers to electronically report workplace injuries so that they can be posted for the public.
The moves come as the Trump administration offers other hints of a significant relaxation in the government‰??s approach to occupational safety.
A successor to Mr. Michaels at OSHA has yet to be named. Mr. Trump‰??s proposed budget eliminates at least two other strategies designed to promote worker safety, including the Chemical Safety Board, which investigates chemical plant accidents, and an OSHA grant program that provides training in industries with high injury or fatality rates and workers who do not speak English well.
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EPA ON PATH TO ELIMINATE BACKLOG OF NEW CHEMICALS AWAITING EPA APPROVAL
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
WASHINGTON ‰?? U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has split by half the backlog of new chemical submissions being reviewed under the Toxic Substances Control Act, bringing the number of cases down from roughly 300 to 150 with plans to fully eliminate the backlog by the end of July. The agency will provide weekly web updates on the status of the backlog and the chemicals‰?? review status to increase transparency for the public and the regulated community.
‰??We are committed to working with companies to gather all the relevant information early in the process, to inform safety reviews for new chemicals. Reviewing new chemicals quickly will enable those deemed safe to enter the marketplace to support jobs and our economy,‰?? said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
The reduction in the backlog is the result of prioritizing and implementing process efficiencies. For instance, grouping the review of similar chemicals speeds the review. EPA will continue to work with all stakeholders to identify additional changes to improve the quality, efficiency and transparency of the new chemical review program.
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SPILL SAFETY: WAYS TO PREPARE FOR A CHEMICAL EMERGENCY
Tags: us_KY, public, discovery, environmental, cleaners, gasoline
CALVERT CITY, Ky. -
We‰??ve had two chemical incidents in our area this week. Friday, we reported a mixture of pool cleaner and fertilizer at Rural King in Martin, Tennessee. No one was hurt, but people in a nearby movie theater evacuated as a precaution.
Monday we confirmed 90 pounds of benzene, a component of gasoline, leaked from Ashland in Calvert City. The leak began last Wednesday and ended Sunday. The company tells us too much pressure was building in one of the tanks, so a safety valve began releasing the vapor. No one was injured.
If this happens near you, you‰??ll likely be notified by a siren or phone call. You will be advised to either stay home or evacuate, depending on the severity of the chemical release.
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NEWLY IDENTIFIED MICROBIAL PROCESS COULD REDUCE TOXIC METHYLMERCURY LEVELS
Tags: us_TN, laboratory, discovery, environmental, mercury
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. ‰?? A team led by the Department of Energy‰??s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has identified a novel microbial process that can break down toxic methylmercury in the environment, a fundamental scientific discovery that could potentially reduce mercury toxicity levels and support health and risk assessments.
Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that forms in nature when mercury interacts with certain microbes living in soil and waterways. It accumulates at varying levels in all fish‰??particularly large predatory fish such as tuna and swordfish‰??and, when consumed in large quantities, can potentially cause neurological damage and developmental disorders, especially in children.
A previous ORNL-led study, published in Science in 2013, unlocked the genetic code that led scientists to accurately identify microbes responsible for methylmercury production in the environment. Following this finding, the ORNL team has now discovered which bacteria perform the reverse process, called demethylation. Details are published in Science Advances.
‰??Much attention has focused on mercury methylation or how methylmercury forms, but few studies to date have examined microbial demethylation, or the breakdown of methylmercury at environmentally relevant conditions,‰?? said Baohua Gu, co-author and a team lead in ORNL‰??s Mercury Science Focus Area.
Bacteria called methanotrophs feed off methane gas and can either take up or break down methylmercury, or both. Methanotrophs are widespread in nature and exist near methane and air interfaces, and both methane and methylmercury are usually formed in similar anoxic, or oxygen-deficient, environments.
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