Check out Safety Emporium for your N95, N99, and face shield needs.
From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (18 articles)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 06:14:10 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: 49C8647D-3827-41D8-A2C7-281EB54559C5**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, July 12, 2021 at 6:13:54 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 (18 articles)
CHEMICAL LEAK AT KITCHENER COMPANY PROMPTS RESPONSE
Tags: Canada, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
RESIDENTS GO HOME AFTER BLAST
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, response, styrene
IMPORTANCE OF THERMAL STABILITY DATA TO AVOID DANGEROUS REAGENTS: TEMOZOLOMIDE CASE STUDY
Tags: us_MA, laboratory, discovery, environmental
NITROUS OXIDE PACKS A DANGEROUS CLIMATE PUNCH, BUT MUCH GOES UNABATED
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental, ag_chems
ONE INJURED AFTER GARBAGE TRUCK EXPLOSION IN NEW HAVEN ‰?? NBC CONNECTICUT
Tags: us_CT, transportation, explosion, injury, natural_gas
LEAK FROM TRACTOR-TRAILER SHUTS DOWN PORTION OF I-78 FOR HOURS
Tags: us_PA, transportation, release, response, corrosives, plastics
JET FUEL SPILLED CLEANED AT FREEMAN HOLDINGS FUEL FARM
Tags: us_KS, industrial, release, response, jet_fuel
FIRE SERVICE ADVICE ON HAY BARNS SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTING
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, environmental, flammables
HOMES EVACUATED WHILE CREWS BATTLE CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE IN BAY COUNTY
Tags: us_MI, industrial, fire, response, urethane
FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISH LAB FIRE AT UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII MANOA
Tags: us_HI, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical
HAZMAT SPECIALISTS USE SPECIAL SUPPRESSANT TO PUT OUT SMELLY, POPPING BOX FIRE AT AIRPORT
Tags: Canada, industrial, fire, response, batteries
FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR EQUIPMENT DAMAGED IN CHEMTOOL RESPONSE
Tags: us_WI, industrial, follow-up, environmental
MINISTRY TELLS MING DIH CO TO RELOCATE
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical
TWO INJURED IN FIRE INCIDENT
Tags: Pakistan, industrial, fire, injury, gas_cylinders
PARTIES AGREE ON $1 MILLION SETTLEMENT IN SUPERIOR REFINERY EXPLOSION CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT
Tags: us_WI, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
CALL FOR POSTGRADUATE RESEARCHERS TO BE TREATED LIKE STAFF, NOT STUDENTS
Tags: United_Kingdom, education, discovery, environmental
US GROUPS BACK PRINCIPLES FOR CHEMICAL INGREDIENT DISCLOSURE
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
BIG CHANGES AFOOT FOR US CHEMICAL RISK EVALUATIONS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, solvent, waste
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL LEAK AT KITCHENER COMPANY PROMPTS RESPONSE
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/chemical-leak-at-kitchener-company-prompts-response-1.5505087
Tags: Canada, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
KITCHENER -- A chemical leak at Airboss Rubber Compounding in Kitchener has fire officials investigating.
Crews responded to reports of the leak at the Glasgow Street facility early Sunday morning.
Kitchener Fire says a product that was being used was creating concerning vapour.
The product was removed from the building before the structure was ventilated.
No injuries were reported.
---------------------------------------------
RESIDENTS GO HOME AFTER BLAST
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2147091/residents-go-home-after-blast
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, response, styrene
Residents living within a 1-kilometre radius of Ming Dih Chemical factory in Samut Prakan have been allowed to return home, as the chemical pollution from a plastic factory explosion has been contained.
Samut Prakan governor Wanchai Kongkasem yesterday said the evacuation protocol has been lifted, but despite the successful control of air pollution, residue of the chemical styrene monomer remains in soil and water around the factory in Soi King Kaew 21 of tambon Bang Phli Yai.
Mr Wanchai said the removal of the remaining chemicals kept at the factory began on Saturday at noon. Four or five road tankers able each with a capacity of 24,000 litres per vehicle took the chemicals to be destroyed at Akkhie Prakarn Public Co Ltd at the Bang Pu Industrial Estate in Muang district.
---------------------------------------------
IMPORTANCE OF THERMAL STABILITY DATA TO AVOID DANGEROUS REAGENTS: TEMOZOLOMIDE CASE STUDY
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.oprd.1c00206
Tags: us_MA, laboratory, discovery, environmental
First disclosed in the 1970s, Temozolomide (TMZ) was recently reported to be a nonexplosive surrogate for methyl diazonium. As part of a program to explore an esterification reaction of a hindered carboxylic acid, TMZ was considered as a possible reagent to perform this challenging transformation. After preliminary DSC screening resulted in an alarming difference from what was previously reported, the decision was made to further investigate TMZ from a thermal stability perspective. DSC, impact testing, accelerating rate calorimetry, U.N. Test Series 2, and U.N. Test Series 3 testing were performed on TMZ. The results showed that TMZ is tentatively considered a Class 1 explosive. Extreme caution should be used if TMZ is to be produced or used to perform esterification or cyclopropanation reactions.
---------------------------------------------
NITROUS OXIDE PACKS A DANGEROUS CLIMATE PUNCH, BUT MUCH GOES UNABATED
https://cen.acs.org/environment/climate-change/Nitrous-oxide-packs-dangerous-climate/99/i25
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental, ag_chems
When it comes to greenhouse gases, most global focus is on carbon dioxide and methane. Nitrous oxide, the third-most-emitted greenhouse gas, seems to go unnoticed, despite its gut punch to the climate.
Known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is almost 300 times as potent a greenhouse gas as CO2; it also depletes the stratospheric ozone layer. Nitrous oxide emissions from human activities have gone up by 30% since 1980, faster than scientists had previously assumed, according to a recent study in Nature.
Yet, N2O has received little attention in international climate or ozone treaties. That‰??s mainly because agriculture is responsible for over two-thirds of N2O emissions. Both nitrogen-based fertilizer and manure emit the gas as they break down. Policy makers and farm lobbies make the case that these agricultural emissions are difficult to monitor.
But emissions by the chemical industry, the next-biggest source, can be abated at what advocates say are reasonable costs. N2O is released as a by-product in the manufacture of nitric acid, a key fertilizer raw material, and of the nylon raw materials adipic acid and caprolactam. Firms in the nylon business have taken or are starting to take action. In contrast, the nitric acid sector has mostly failed to heed calls to reduce N2O.
---------------------------------------------
ONE INJURED AFTER GARBAGE TRUCK EXPLOSION IN NEW HAVEN ‰?? NBC CONNECTICUT
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/one-injured-after-garbage-truck-explosion-in-new-haven/2525493/
Tags: us_CT, transportation, explosion, injury, natural_gas
An employee was injured after a garbage truck explosion in New Haven Friday, city officials said.
Officials said there was a garbage truck fire at All American Waste on Wheeler St. There was a compressed natural gas tank that caused an explosion, as the truck had a fully-involved mid-truck fire.
Fire officials controlled the fire and prevented it from spreading to the row of trucks at the facility.
---------------------------------------------
LEAK FROM TRACTOR-TRAILER SHUTS DOWN PORTION OF I-78 FOR HOURS
https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/leak-from-tractor-trailer-shuts-down-portion-of-i-78-for-hours/article_5085ba26-e0ee-11eb-bdc2-1fdefb423558.html
Tags: us_PA, transportation, release, response, corrosives, plastics
SALISBURY TWP., Pa. - A white, milky substance spilled out of a double trailer FedEx truck and onto a portion of I-78 east Friday afternoon.
Crews from surrounding agencies responded dressed in hazmat suits, as officials say it was a highly dangerous corrosive material.
The incident caused major backups during rush hour.
"Basically all we did was we put some absorbent down to try to absorb it, however it was a little difficult to get off the ground. It seemed like it polymerized a little bit on the ground," said special ops coordinator Jonathan Al-Khal.
Crews spent several hours cleaning up the liquid from the Cedar Crest exit.
---------------------------------------------
JET FUEL SPILLED CLEANED AT FREEMAN HOLDINGS FUEL FARM
https://www.wibw.com/2021/07/09/jet-fuel-spilled-cleaned-freeman-holdings-fuel-farm/
Tags: us_KS, industrial, release, response, jet_fuel
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Hazmat and environmental crews headed back out Friday to finish cleaning up a fuel spill at Forbes Field.
About 1,000 gallons of jet fuel spilled at the Freeman Holdings Fuel Farm Thursday around 5 p.m.
Walt Frederick, General Manager of ‰??Million Air‰??, told 13 News a valve was put into an incorrect spot causing a tanker truck to send fuel into the wrong tank, and it overflowed.
The spill happened at the freeman holdings fuel farm. Frederick said crews left around 12:30 a.m. after picking up the fuel, containing it in hazardous bags and moving it away from the fuel farm area.
---------------------------------------------
FIRE SERVICE ADVICE ON HAY BARNS SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTING
https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/19433181.fire-service-advice-hay-barns-spontaneously-combusting/
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, environmental, flammables
This week has seen a high number of barn fires across the south west - many that have been caused by hay spontaneously combusting .
If the temperature of a haystack rises above 55 degrees C, a chemical reaction occurs which produces a flammable gas.
This can ignite when the temperature gets high enough.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is advising farmers to be especially aware of the fire risk when making and storing hay in the current damp weather.
---------------------------------------------
HOMES EVACUATED WHILE CREWS BATTLE CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE IN BAY COUNTY
https://www.abc12.com/2021/07/09/homes-evacuated-while-crews-battle-chemical-plant-fire-bay-county/
Tags: us_MI, industrial, fire, response, urethane
PORTSMOUTH TWP., Mich. (WJRT) - Multiple homes were evacuated early Friday morning off of M-13 in Bay County, due to a large fire at Renosol Corporation, a chemical facility that molds polyurethane. Thankfully, fire crews said the smoke wasn‰??t toxic.
‰??Scary, traumatizing actually,‰?? said Matthew Machulis, who lives in Riverview Estates next door.
Machulis said he woke up early Friday morning to his neighbor‰??s banging on his door telling him to get out now.
‰??The flames engulfed and the black smoke, the wire smell and the wood smell and other chemicals,‰?? said Machulis.
Just behind the tree line, flames engulfed the Renosol building, a company that molds polyurethane; which, when burned, can release an awful smell and produce potentially toxic smoke.
---------------------------------------------
FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISH LAB FIRE AT UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII MANOA
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/07/08/breaking-news/firefighters-extinguish-lab-fire-at-university-of-hawaii-manoa/
Tags: us_HI, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical
The Sherman Laboratory at the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus caught fire this afternoon after an experiment went awry.
The Honolulu Fire Department reported that it received a call at 2:30 p.m. about a building fire at the building on East West Road. The department said a ‰??student placed an experiment into some type of oven, which caused it to catch fire.‰?? UH security, which called HFD, was notified of the fire.
HFD arrived on the scene at 2:47 p.m. and saw ‰??heavy smoke‰?? coming from the second story of the four-story building, although everyone had evacuated from the building. Just a few minutes later, firefighters extinguished the fire.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT SPECIALISTS USE SPECIAL SUPPRESSANT TO PUT OUT SMELLY, POPPING BOX FIRE AT AIRPORT
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/hazmat-specialists-use-special-suppressant-to-put-out-smelly-popping-box-fire-at-airport
Tags: Canada, industrial, fire, response, batteries
Ottawa Fire Services hazardous materials specialists were called to Ottawa International Airport Thursday morning when officials reported a fire in a box.
There was a strong odour coming from the fire, with a popping noise, and officials were taking no chances.
The specialists determined the fire was in a lithium battery that had malfunctioned in a small electrostatic sprayer.
The device was placed in a drum with a special suppressant called ‰??Cold Fire‰?? to halt the chemical reaction was halted.
The area was then ventilated. There were no injuries.
---------------------------------------------
FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR EQUIPMENT DAMAGED IN CHEMTOOL RESPONSE
https://www.beloitdailynews.com/news/local-news/fire-departments-to-seek-reimbursement-for-equipment-damaged-in-chemtool-response/article_bf7fa949-690e-5113-8091-ded39aa19107.html
Tags: us_WI, industrial, follow-up, environmental
ROCKTON‰??A number of fire departments that responded to the Chemtool chemical fire on June 14 in the Town of Rockton plan to seek reimbursement from the company for equipment that was damaged in the emergency response, according to multiple Stateline Area fire chiefs.
Rockton Fire Protection District Chief Kirk Wilson, who served as the incident commander on scene, said Rockton Fire lost about $12,000 in fire hoses, along with 15 sets of turnout gear, what firefighters wear during a response, had to be professionally cleaned and inspected.
Wilson added ladder truck had to be inspected for damage due to heat from the massive blaze, with reimbursement requests to be sent to Chemtool.
‰??We won‰??t have a clear picture of a total cost until all invoices are received,‰?? Wilson said.
South Beloit Fire Chief Dan Zerfass said fire crews abandoned multiple fire hoses, nozzles and turnout gear at the Chemtool fire scene. The cost of the department‰??s loss totals around $5,000.
The equipment was abandoned after Wilson made the call to evacuate the area due to the dangerous nature of the fire scene. The incident command location was moved after it was determined it was too close to the fire, officials said.
---------------------------------------------
MINISTRY TELLS MING DIH CO TO RELOCATE
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2145747/ministry-tells-ming-dih-co-to-relocate
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical
The Industry Ministry has told Ming Dih Chemical to relocate its operation to an industrial estate if it wants to continue operating in the kingdom following the fire on Monday that affected at least 80,000 residents in Samut Prakan.
Industry Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said the Department of Industrial Works has ordered the company to close down its factory, located among communities in King Kaew 21 at Moo 15 village in tambon Rachathewa, in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan.
This follows an explosion on Monday that killed one rescue worker and injured 39 others.
The blast also caused the evacuation of people living in the area. There were concerns that chemical fumes might affect the residents.
---------------------------------------------
TWO INJURED IN FIRE INCIDENT
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/861433-two-injured-in-fire-incident
Tags: Pakistan, industrial, fire, injury, gas_cylinders
LAHORE:City witnessed three different incidents of fire eruption on Thursday. The first incident was occurred in Shadman Market where two persons were injured when a fire broke out in a gas cylinder shop. On being informed, the rescuers rushed to the spot and pulled out the two survivors from the debris and shifted them to hospital. The injured were identified as Fiaz, 35, son of Aslam and Noman, 25, son of Abdul Aziz. The other two fire incidents took place in a chemical factory near Nainsukh Shahdara and a gas cylinder shop in Harbanspura area. Upon being informed, the firefighters rushed to the spots and extinguished the fire. No casualty was reported in the last two incidents.
---------------------------------------------
PARTIES AGREE ON $1 MILLION SETTLEMENT IN SUPERIOR REFINERY EXPLOSION CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/energy-and-mining/7106034-Parties-agree-on-1-million-settlement-in-Superior-refinery-explosion-class-action-lawsuit
Tags: us_WI, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
A proposed class-action settlement could make evacuees of the April 26, 2018, Husky Energy refinery explosion eligible to receive $150 in compensation.
According to the settlement agreement dated June 24, the plaintiffs, Jasen Bruzek, Hope Koplin and Christopher Peterson, and defendant Superior Refining Co. agreed to a settlement totaling $1.05 million, which is pending approval by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Much of Superior was forced to evacuate for 18 hours when an explosion, likely caused by a faulty valve, caused a fire at the refinery. The evacuations were based on the fear of a hydrogen fluoride release, though none escaped the tank.
The settlement stems from a lawsuit the plaintiffs filed in 2018, claiming that while Husky allowed evacuees to file claims for evacuation expenses ‰?? transportation, lodging and lost wages ‰?? as well as separate claims for bodily harm, the reimbursements were ‰??skewed‰?? to people who could afford the up-front costs of a hotel room.
Court documents estimate nearly 21,000 people over 18 are eligible to file a claim, but the settlement funds would only be able to fulfill 5,833 claims at $150 per person. A household would be eligible for up to $300. Under certain circumstances, individuals may receive up to $200 and households up to $400.
---------------------------------------------
CALL FOR POSTGRADUATE RESEARCHERS TO BE TREATED LIKE STAFF, NOT STUDENTS
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/call-for-postgraduate-researchers-to-be-treated-like-staff-not-students/4013965.article
Tags: United_Kingdom, education, discovery, environmental
Universities treating postgraduate researchers (PGRs) as students rather than staff is unfair and must change, according to the University and College Union (UCU). The UCU wants universities to sign up to a manifesto it has drafted which calls for PGRs to be given basic employee rights and benefits.
The manifesto also demands that PGRs should have access to adequate facilities to complete their research together with regular feedback and support. It states that PGRs should not be required to deliver unpaid teaching duties as part of a scholarship, bursary or stipend. PGRs who teach, often known as graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), should have agreed hours and rates of pay, a job description and access to a pension scheme. Additionally, the manifesto calls for funded work extensions for PGRs impacted by the pandemic.
‰??PGRs produce high-level research and also deliver excellent teaching, but for some reason universities don‰??t consider any of this to be work and treat them as students instead, exploiting them all the way,‰?? says UCU general secretary Jo Grady. ‰??As a result, they miss out on some of the most basic benefits, such as access to sick leave and parental leave. This is totally unacceptable, as is the practice of making some PGRs even pay for the privilege of doing research at a university [as some PhDs are unfunded].‰??
---------------------------------------------
US GROUPS BACK PRINCIPLES FOR CHEMICAL INGREDIENT DISCLOSURE
https://cen.acs.org/safety/consumer-safety/US-groups-back-principles-chemical/99/i25
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
US businesses, state regulators, and health advocacy groups are endorsing principles for disclosing chemical ingredients in products.
With the exception of substantiated trade secrets, the principles call for companies to disclose all ingredients they intentionally add to their products. They also ask manufacturers to disclose any incidental components, breakdown products, or by-products that pose known or suspected hazards to human health or the environment. Such disclosures would include carcinogens, mutagens, endocrine disruptors, allergens, and substances that can cause reproductive or developmental problems.
In addition, the principles seek more toxicity data so the hazards of chemicals used in products can be better understood.
‰??The requirement for chemical ingredient disclosure will increase as demand grows for a circular economy that aims to reuse and recycle products,‰?? says Mark Rossi of Clean Production Action, a group that promotes development and use of green chemicals, sustainable materials, and other environmentally preferable products. Hazardous chemicals have ended up in some plastic cutlery and children‰??s toys made from recycled plastic because the recyclers didn‰??t know the substances were in the material, Rossi says in a statement.
---------------------------------------------
BIG CHANGES AFOOT FOR US CHEMICAL RISK EVALUATIONS
https://cen.acs.org/policy/chemical-regulation/Big-changes-afoot-US-chemical/99/i25
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, solvent, waste
Facing lawsuits and criticism from scientists, environmental groups, and the chemical industry, the US Environmental Protection Agency is overhauling its approach for evaluating risks associated with high-priority chemicals that are already on the market. According to Michal Freedhoff, head of the EPA‰??s chemicals office, the changes will impact the first 10 assessments completed by the Trump administration under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). They will also affect the next 24 assessments, which the EPA has already begun, and those that the agency conducts in the future.
The changes include assessing exposure to chemicals from air and water, as well as from land disposal. During the Trump administration, the EPA disregarded such pathways, claiming that they were already regulated by other statutes, such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. For 6 of the first 10 chemicals, the EPA will develop a screening approach that uses existing ambient air and surface-water data to evaluate risks to fenceline communities that border industrial facilities.
The EPA also plans to reopen its assessment of the solvent 1,4-dioxane, a widespread drinking-water contaminant, to determine whether drinking water and air exposure pose unreasonable risks to the general population. The agency will also evaluate occupational exposures to 1,4-dioxane generated as a manufacturing by-product that were not considered in its previous assessments.
---------------------------------------------
---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas
Previous post | Top of Page | Next post