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From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (15 articles)
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 09:06:21 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: DDC784EE-A849-485F-BDBF-6A1DC3EE08C2**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, February 24, 2020 at 9:06:06 AM
A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas
Table of Contents (15 articles)
EXCLUSIVE: COMMUNICATIONS AFTER TPC GROUP BLAST GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ASBESTOS DISCOVERY, OFFICIAL RESPONSE
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, environmental, asbestos
FIRE REPORTED AT A CHEMICAL SUPPLIES STORE IN PILIYANDALA
Tags: Sri_Lanka, public, fire, response, unknown_chemical
A TALE OF 2 EXPLOSIONS
Tags: us_WI, public, explosion, environmental, dye, hydrogen_peroxide
ANALYTICAL MICROWAVE FIRE
Tags: us_ID, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical
A MILE-WIDE TOXIC WASTE SITE SITS ON THE OCEAN FLOOR NEAR STELLWAGEN BANK
Tags: us_MA, public, discovery, environmental, radiation, toxics, waste
USC PHARMACEUTICAL STUDENT EXPOSED TO TOXIC CHEMICAL, HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, pharmaceutical
MAN DIES IN APPARENT EXPLOSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE LABORATORY IN NORTON APARTMENT
Tags: us_MA, public, explosion, death, meth_lab, illegal
OXARC IN PASCO TO PAY $100,000 PENALTY IN AGREEMENT WITH EPA
Tags: us_WA, industrial, discovery, environmental, chlorine, sulfur_dioxide, illegal
HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL IGNITES IN BRANCH COUNTY SEMI FIRE
Tags: us_MI, transportation, fire, response, nitric_acid
BOTH VICTIMS DIE FOLLOWING HAZMAT INCIDENT AT CLEVELAND CHEMICAL TRANSPORT COMPANY
Tags: us_OH, transportation, release, death, unknown_chemical
HIGHWAY 31 REOPENED FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical
UA RESEARCHERS LOOK AT POTENTIAL CANCER RISKS TO FIREFIGHTERS
Tags: us_AZ, public, discovery, environmental
TEXAS AG SUES TPC GROUP FOR EXPLOSION, EMISSIONS
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, environmental
HARRIS COUNTY SUES EPA OVER CHEMICAL SAFETY RULES ‰?? HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA
Tags: us_DC, industrial, follow-up, environmental
A YEAR ON, TROUBLED IISC LAB BACK IN OPERATION WITH SAFETY UPGRADES
Tags: India, laboratory, follow-up, death, gas_cylinders
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EXCLUSIVE: COMMUNICATIONS AFTER TPC GROUP BLAST GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ASBESTOS DISCOVERY, OFFICIAL RESPONSE
https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/EXCLUSIVE-Communications-after-TPC-Group-blast-15078676.php
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, environmental, asbestos
PORT NECHES ‰?? Asbestos from the TPC Group explosions in Port Neches was found in debris blast recovered as far away as Bridge City. After company officials discovered that asbestos had been released from the Nov. 27 blast, they waited seven hours before informing county officials who were part of the joint command operation and responsible for alerting the public to potential hazards. Leaks of butadiene and other chemicals continued for more than a month afterward.
Such are the findings from a series of emails, text messages and other communications between TPC officials and Jefferson County staff members obtained by the Beaumont Enterprise. The newspaper requested the records from the county and followed up with TPC and with County Judge Jeff Branick to get a better understanding of the hectic days and weeks that followed the Thanksgiving Eve-explosions and fires.
The messages sent also show that in two instances, Branick insisted that officials use a stricter standard for determining air-quality levels for deciding on evacuations and shelter-in-place recommendations.
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FIRE REPORTED AT A CHEMICAL SUPPLIES STORE IN PILIYANDALA
https://www.newsfirst.lk/2020/02/24/fire-reported-at-a-chemical-supplies-store-in-piliyandala/
Tags: Sri_Lanka, public, fire, response, unknown_chemical
Colombo (News 1st) ‰?? A fire has erupted at a chemical supplies store in Wewala, Piliyandala.
The Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Fire Service Department said 2 fire trucks have been dispatched from the unit and two fire trucks have been dispatched from the Moratuwa Urban Council.
The cause of fire is yet to be determined.
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A TALE OF 2 EXPLOSIONS
https://cen.acs.org/safety/A-tale-of-2-explosions/98/i8
Tags: us_WI, public, explosion, environmental, dye, hydrogen_peroxide
In 2019, the most-viewed video on TikTok‰??a short-form mobile video platform‰??was a chemistry experiment: a massive demonstration of the hydrogen peroxide‰??potassium iodide reaction known as elephant toothpaste. To date, the 12 s video of four mad scientists in David Dobrik‰??s backyard pouring four buckets of a mysterious yellow fluid into a giant test tube of blood-red liquid has 183.7 million views on TikTok. The yellow fluid, of course, was potassium iodide, the catalyst that rapidly decomposes hydrogen peroxide. In the video, the potassium iodide was added to a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, water, soap, and red food coloring to create water, iodine, and oxygen gas, which gets trapped in the soap to create the characteristic foamy eruption.
With that TikTok, Dobrik and Nick Uhas, another scientific social media maven, set out to make a world record for the amount of foam produced from an elephant toothpaste experiment. However, after the video went viral, there was social media controversy about the legitimacy of the record-breaking eruption. So, for their next attempt, the duo committed to quadruple the (approximately) 67.5 m3 of foam produced in the viral TikTok clip.
In a video with over 22 million views on YouTube, the scientists put a whopping 625 L of 35% hydrogen peroxide (in addition to the soap, water, and food coloring) in a 1,893 L plastic drum. They then rigged a pulley system, which involved placing a trash can on top of a lifeguard chair, to efficiently dump the 91 L of potassium iodide catalyst into the drum. In the video, a dramatic exothermic reaction is shown, producing approximately 200 m3 of foam.
It might look cool, but the Newscripts gang felt compelled to consult some safety experts.
‰??I am familiar with this stupidity,‰?? David Katz, a chemistry educator and demonstrator, tells Newscripts. He says that the 35% hydrogen peroxide can cause severe burns.
Furthermore, ‰??the blobs of foam seen floating down the valley could contain unreacted hydrogen peroxide,‰?? which could hurt innocent bystanders, says Sandra Koster, a retired senior lecturer from the University of Wisconsin‰??La Crosse.
Yikes! Want to try an elephant toothpaste experiment at home? Stick with the safer 3% hydrogen peroxide you can buy at the drugstore. While yeast won‰??t produce the same dramatic explosion, using that as a catalyst will lead to a slower buildup of foam and be less likely to permanently stain walls. And always, always, always use personal protective equipment.
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ANALYTICAL MICROWAVE FIRE
https://opexshare.doe.gov/lesson.cfm/2020/2/17/30503/Analytical-Microwave-Fire
Tags: us_ID, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical
A fire occurred in a CEM MARS 6 analytical microwave (Figure 1) during microwave-assisted, acid digestion of a soil sample in a Research and Development (R&D) laboratory. The soil sample had been pretreated at 550oC for ~4 hours in a furnace prior to digesting in the microwave. Less than 1-gram aliquots of the pretreated soil sample were placed into separate microwave reaction vessels (Figure 1, lower right) along with an acid mixture used for digestion. The microwave was used to facilitate digestion of the samples. Microwave reaction vessels were loaded with acid and soil samples, sealed in cassettes, and the cassettes placed onto a microwave carousel (Figure 1, upper right). A temperature probe that senses the reaction temperature during the run was inserted into the Reference Cell thermowell. The contents of the Reference Cell were identical to the contents of the other reaction cells. The researcher initiated the run and then left the laboratory to perform other work!
. Upon returning to check the digestion run, flames and smoke were observed originating from the microwave. The researcher exited the lab, immediate emergency actions were taken, and the local fire department responded and extinguished the fire. No personnel were injured, and no facility structural damage occurred. The affected microwave is a total loss (Figure 2).
Lessons Learned Recommendations:
1. Ensure the temperature probe is compatible with the microwave model being used. Consult the manufacturer if there is any doubt.
2. Remove incompatible parts/consumables from the equipment operational area.
3. For accurate temperature measurements during a microwave run, the thermocouple needs to measure the temperature of the liquid phase during the run. The minimum liquid volume needed per 100 ml reaction vessel is stated as 5 ml acid by the manufacturer when using a compatible thermocouple in an EasyPrep sample vessel.
4. Consider use of the exhaust acid/organic vapor sensor for unattended microwave runs.
Download Article
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A MILE-WIDE TOXIC WASTE SITE SITS ON THE OCEAN FLOOR NEAR STELLWAGEN BANK
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/22/metro/mile-wide-toxic-waste-site-sits-ocean-floor-near-stellwagen-bank/
Tags: us_MA, public, discovery, environmental, radiation, toxics, waste
About 19 miles east of Boston Harbor, beside a national marine sanctuary that‰??s home to one of the world‰??s richest fishing grounds, lies one of the nation‰??s largest offshore dumping sites of radioactive waste.
In less than 300 feet of water, thousands of barrels litter the seafloor, a mile-wide toxic junkyard that fishermen call ‰??The Foul Area.‰??
It‰??s called that because many have tangled ‰?? or fouled ‰?? their gear in the barrel field, at times even pulling up containers filled with toxic chemicals. Government reports and congressional testimony over the years have suggested the dumping ground may include plutonium and other highly dangerous materials discarded after the completion of the Manhattan Project during World War II.
Now, the federal government is trying to bury the barrels at least three feet deep with roughly 10 million tons of sediment dredged from a $340 million project to widen shipping channels in Boston Harbor. Capping the toxic material ‰?? which includes unexploded munitions ‰?? was seen as a safer way of minimizing risks, rather than trying to bring the rusting barrels to the surface.
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USC PHARMACEUTICAL STUDENT EXPOSED TO TOXIC CHEMICAL, HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS
https://mynewsla.com/education/2020/02/22/usc-pharmaceutical-student-exposed-to-toxic-chemical-hazmat-team-responds/
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, pharmaceutical
A graduate student at the University of Southern California Stauffer Pharmaceutical Sciences Center was exposed to a small amount of a highly toxic chemical Saturday evening and she and firefighters had to be decontaminated along with two other students, authorities said.
The exposure happened just before 7:30 p.m. at 1985 East Zonal Ave. on the USC Health Campus, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.
A 24-year-old woman sustained eye exposure to a small amount of Propargylamine, a highly toxic chemical, Humphrey said. A 27-year-old man and another 24-year-old woman were in the vicinity of the exposed woman but not directly exposed to the chemical, he said.
‰??LAFD Hazmat experts accessed the scene and worked swiftly with other LAFD responders to carefully decontaminate all three patients, who were transported conscious and alert to a nearby hospital,‰?? Humphrey said.
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MAN DIES IN APPARENT EXPLOSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE LABORATORY IN NORTON APARTMENT
https://upnewsinfo.com/2020/02/22/man-dies-in-apparent-explosion-of-methamphetamine-laboratory-in-norton-apartment/
Tags: us_MA, public, explosion, death, meth_lab, illegal
NORTON, Massachusetts (AP) ‰?? A man was killed in what authorities believe was a methamphetamine lab explosion in a Massachusetts home, officials said Saturday.
Police said they were called to the Norton apartment complex around 1 a.m. on Saturday and found damage that is believed to have been caused by an explosion in the methamphetamine laboratory. Police say the resident had fled the house before the first responders arrived.
A little later, the authorities were called to an Attleboro home to help a man who was experiencing a medical emergency and the police determined that he was the same man injured in the explosion.
The man was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
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OXARC IN PASCO TO PAY $100,000 PENALTY IN AGREEMENT WITH EPA
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article240502096.html
Tags: us_WA, industrial, discovery, environmental, chlorine, sulfur_dioxide, illegal
A Tri-Cities business has agreed to pay $100,000 to the federal government to settle allegations it did not meet requirements for a risk management program intended to protect the community.
The Environmental Protection Agency said Oxarc at 716 Oregon Ave., Pasco, was required to meet standards for a risk management program set out in the federal Clean Air Act because of the amount of certain chemicals it stored.
Oxarc ‰?? which provides industrial, medical and specialty gases, among other products ‰?? stored more than 2,500 pounds of chlorine and more than 5,000 pounds of the toxic gas sulfur dioxide in Pasco.
‰??Anyone who stores large quantities of dangerous chemicals has a duty to obey the laws that are intended to protect such a facility‰??s neighbors,‰?? said Ed Kowalski, director of the EPA Region 10 Enforcement and Compliance Assistance Division.
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HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL IGNITES IN BRANCH COUNTY SEMI FIRE
https://wbckfm.com/hazardous-chemical-ignites-in-branch-county-semi-fire/
Tags: us_MI, transportation, fire, response, nitric_acid
Northbound I-69 was shut down for a few hours Friday morning in Branch County after a semi caught fire.
Michigan State Police troopers from the Marshall post responded to the highway near the weigh station in Ovid Township just south of Coldwater just after 4:30am when a FedEx semi had both of the trailers it was hauling catch fire.
Investigators learned that the double trailer was transporting nitric acid in both trailers. Authorities say that the brakes on the rear trailer caught fire, igniting the nitric acid.
The Lakeland Fire Department extinguished the fire with the Department of Environmental Quality‰??s HAZMAT team performing the clean-up. Northbound I-69 was reopened to one lane around 7am. The highway was fully reopened around 10:30am.
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BOTH VICTIMS DIE FOLLOWING HAZMAT INCIDENT AT CLEVELAND CHEMICAL TRANSPORT COMPANY
https://www.fox19.com/2020/02/21/both-victims-die-following-hazmat-incident-cleveland-chemical-transport-company/
Tags: us_OH, transportation, release, death, unknown_chemical
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner‰??s Office confirmed that that both victims hospitalized during Thursday‰??s hazardous materials incident on Thursday died from their injuries.
Ashley Friedman, a 30-year-old Lorain woman, and 60-year-old Alan Linder, were pronounced dead at University Hospitals in Cleveland, according to the coroner.
Lt. Mike Norman, spokesperson for the Cleveland Fire Department, said Friedman and Linder were initially taken from the scene in critical condition on Thursday afternoon.
The two became overwhelmed by chemical fumes while cleaning a tanker truck in the garage for Kenan Advantage Group, a company that transports chemical mixtures for industrial and specialty uses, near East 81st Street and Union Avenue.
Friedman was first impacted by the fumes, according to Norman. Linder then tried to rescue her after seeing she was impacted.
Ohio‰??s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the workplace fatality.
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HIGHWAY 31 REOPENED FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL
https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/hazmat-crews-working-chemical-spill-on-highway-31-e-near-county-road-21/501-453bafd6-8749-48d2-8bb5-ba8e66aee439
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical
SMITH COUNTY, Texas ‰?? A HAZMAT crew responded to a chemical spill on Highway 31 East near County Road 21.
According to Smith County officials, a truck carrying an industrial disinfectant lost its trailers while making a turn at about 1 p.m. While it was considered a hazardous leak, authorities say there was no risk to the public.
The spill was contained by HAZMAT crews, assisted by DPS, TxDOT, the Smith County Fire Marshal, Tyler Fire Department, Smith County Constable Pct. 4, ESD #2 and Jackson Heights VFD.
Highway 31 was closed for a long period of time but has since reopened. However, crews are still on the scene to finish cleaning the scene. Drivers are urged to use caution when traveling through the area.
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UA RESEARCHERS LOOK AT POTENTIAL CANCER RISKS TO FIREFIGHTERS
https://www.kold.com/2020/02/22/ua-researchers-look-potential-cancer-risks-firefighters/
Tags: us_AZ, public, discovery, environmental
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - A new study at the University of Arizona is looking at how a cancer-causing chemical found in foam and protective gear used by firefighters might contribute to their increased cancer risk.
The research takes a look at a firefighters exposure to, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of synthetic chemicals.
Dr. Jeffrey Burgess, associate dean of research at the University of Arizona, said exposure to the chemicals in the general population has been linked to cancer and other health risks. PFAS are found in upholstery, insulation and pizza boxes.
He said the study will find if a firefighter‰??s exposure to the chemical when it burns during a fire contributes to their increased risk for cancer. The chemical is also found in the foam used to fight fires and protective gear worn by firefighters.
"Firefighters help take care of us and it's important for us to be able to help to do the research for them to be able to keep themselves safe as well,‰?? Burgess said.
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TEXAS AG SUES TPC GROUP FOR EXPLOSION, EMISSIONS
https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Texas-AG-sues-TPC-Group-for-explosion-emissions-15075108.php
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, environmental
More than two months after the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality referred a host of emissions-related violations by TPC Group to the Texas Attorney General‰??s Office, the AG has filed a lawsuit against the company for violations of Texas law regarding clean air and water.
The lawsuit, announced Friday, stems from the pre-Thanksgiving explosion at TPC‰??s Port Neches plant as well as violations of air quality standards from January 2018 to September 2019.
‰??I appreciate the attorney general‰??s action today,‰?? said TCEQ Executive Director Toby Baker. ‰??It is absolutely crucial that entities like TPC Group are held responsible not only for the destructive environmental pollution they cause, but also for their impact on human health.‰??
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HARRIS COUNTY SUES EPA OVER CHEMICAL SAFETY RULES ‰?? HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2020/02/21/361525/harris-county-sues-epa-over-chemical-safety-rules/
Tags: us_DC, industrial, follow-up, environmental
Harris County has sued the Environmental Protection Agency over the Trump Administration‰??s rollback of chemical safety rules, the county attorney‰??s office announced Friday.
In a petition filed this week the county asked a federal court in Washington, D.C. to overturn the rule change, which rolled back regulations tightening disclosure requirements on chemical companies.
‰??The federal government is failing in its responsibility to protect us from dangerous chemical accidents,‰?? read a statement from Ryan. ‰??The EPA‰??s action gutted safety protections for chemical accidents and further endangers our neighborhoods in Harris County.‰??
The so-called ‰??Chemical Disaster Rule‰?? was put in place in part because of the 2013 West Texas fertilizer plant explosion that killed 15 people, and required companies to turn in independent audits, thoroughly investigate chemical accidents, and provide more information about those accidents. They also placed stricter requirements on the storage of chemicals, and required companies to share emergency planning information with local police and firefighters.
But the EPA revised the 2017 requirements after pushback from the chemical industry, stating that instead the focus should be on upping the performance of a few facilities. In a regulatory change summary the agency said that most companies adequately prevent accidental releases, and that the rules are no longer ‰??reasonable or practicable.‰??
Harris County filed its petition Tuesday in Washington, D.C. circuit court. Court documents show 14 states and the District of Columbia are also petitioning the court. It‰??s unclear when a judge will review the petition.
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A YEAR ON, TROUBLED IISC LAB BACK IN OPERATION WITH SAFETY UPGRADES
https://www.deccanherald.com/city/a-year-on-troubled-iisc-lab-back-in-operation-with-safety-upgrades-806944.html
Tags: India, laboratory, follow-up, death, gas_cylinders
A year after an accident resulted in the death of a student, an advanced technologies lab involved in hypersonic and shockwave research at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has come back to life after extensive safety upgrades.
Faculty and staff said inspections were being carried out to ensure safety standards were in place at the Laboratory for Hypersonic and Shock Wave Research (LHSR) and that experiments had restarted at the 50-year-old facility in December 2019.
‰??We have had three papers published through experiments after the lab reopened,‰?? Professor K P J Reddy said.
On December 5, 2018, the explosion of a gas cylinder killed one engineer and seriously injured three others. The deceased, Manoj Kumar, 32, and the three injured engineers were employees of a promising new startup called Superwave Technology, helmed by two professors of the IISc‰??s Department of Aerospace.
However, a faculty member with knowledge of the matter said the lab was still undergoing safety checks. ‰??It is still working up towards operability,‰?? he said.
Cause of accident
The IISc has been officially reluctant to discuss the cause of the accident. The institute‰??s director, Dr Anurag Kumar, referred the matter to the registrar, V Rajarajan, who did not respond to queries for information.
An eyewitness to the accident told DH that a worn-out valve on a liquid hydrogen cylinder had been responsible for the explosion. The facility employs four sophisticated shock wave tubes using liquid hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and helium to generate shock waves.
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