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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, February 18, 2022 at 6:19:58 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 (16 articles)
LEAK THAT CAUSED HAZMAT INCIDENT IN VIRGINIA BEACH FIXED
Tags: us_VA, transportation, release, response, solvent
CORNERSTONE CHEMICAL PLANT IN JEFFERSON PARISH REPORTS SMALL FIRE
Tags: us_LA, industrial, explosion, response, hydrogen
NUMEROUS TOWNS RESPOND TO FIRE AT ROCKLAND 3M FACILITY
Tags: us_MA, industrial, fire, response, adhesives, flammables
JUVENILE SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED IN DUNDEE CHEMICAL EXPLOSION
Tags: us_MI, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
FIREFIGHTERS, HAZMAT TEAM DOUSE DANGEROUS FIRE AT PLANT
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, response, asphalt
HAZMAT INCIDENT AT WALMART IN KAHULUI
Tags: us_HI, public, release, response, irritant
EDINBURGH CHEMICAL PLANT WORKERS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL FOLLOWING EMERGENCY INCIDENT
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, release, injury, pharmaceutical
AREA FIREFIGHTERS SUE MANUFACTURERS THEY SAY KNOWINGLY SOLD UNIFORMS, FIREFIGHTING FOAM THAT CONTAIN DANGEROUS CHEMICALS FOR DECADES
Tags: us_MA, industrial, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS A GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY COVERING WASTE
Tags: France, public, follow-up, environmental, plastics, waste
DRANO BOMB EXPLOSION IN DUNDEE, MICHIGAN
Tags: us_MI, education, explosion, response, bomb
BUTANE HONEY OIL LAB EXPLODES IN SIMI VALLEY; FILLMORE TEENS ARRESTED
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, explosion, response, butane, drugs, illegal
GAS LEAK SEES SIX PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AND LEISURE CENTRE EVACUATED
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
LA COUNTY AGAIN PUSHES FOR PHASE-OUT OF OIL REFINERY CHEMICAL
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
USA REACHES AN AGREEMENT WITH CLEVELAND-CLIFFS FOR 2019 TOXIC CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_IN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ammonia, cyanide
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST EASTMAN OVER JAN. 31 INCIDENT
Tags: us_TN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, asbestos
EXTENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL POLLUTION ON EVERY CONTINENT ON EARTH REVEALED
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, environmental, pharmaceutical
---------------------------------------------
LEAK THAT CAUSED HAZMAT INCIDENT IN VIRGINIA BEACH FIXED
https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/virginia-beach/crews-responding-to-hazmat-incident-at-diamond-springs-road-and-northampton-blvd-in-virginia-beach/
Tags: us_VA, transportation, release, response, solvent
VIRGINIA BEACH (WAVY) ' Virginia Beach firefighters say a leak that caused a small hazmat situation on Thursday morning has been fixed.
The situation happened at a shipping company in the 1300 block of Diamond Springs, across Northampton Blvd. from the Wawa. The 911 call came in at 9:06 a.m., dispatchers said.
Virginia Beach firefighters say a 50 gallon drum containing a solvent was accidentally punctured by a forklift operator. The drum was in a shipping container.
---------------------------------------------
CORNERSTONE CHEMICAL PLANT IN JEFFERSON PARISH REPORTS SMALL FIRE
https://www.wdsu.com/article/jefferson-parish-cornerstone-chemical-fire/39121052
Tags: us_LA, industrial, explosion, response, hydrogen
JEFFERSON PARISH, La. '
Fire officials responded to a small fire at a chemical company in Jefferson Parish Thursday morning.
According to Jefferson Parish officials, Cornerstone Chemical Company had a small fire from a malfunction at the facility.
An explosion occurred at 4:45 am this morning when a high pressure hydrogen gas pipe burst igniting the gas causing a fire.
The Live Oak Manor Fire Department was notified but the fire extinguished itself because the shut-off valves on each end of the breech isolated the hydrogen feed.
The fire is out, nothing was released, and hazmat crews were notified, according to a news release issued by Jefferson Parish officials.
Residents near the plant were notified via the Cornerstone Emergency Notification System that the loud noise associated with the explosion was contained onsite the community was safe because no chemicals were released into the atmosphere.
---------------------------------------------
NUMEROUS TOWNS RESPOND TO FIRE AT ROCKLAND 3M FACILITY
https://959watd.com/blog/2022/02/numerous-towns-respond-to-fire-at-rockland-3m-facility/
Tags: us_MA, industrial, fire, response, adhesives, flammables
Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey says they responded after a fire alarm activation at 30 Commerce Road, just before 3 p.m. Thursday.
'While en route, we were updated that there was actually a smoke condition within the facility. On their arrival, Engine 1 under the direction of Lieutenant Charlie Williams, had a heavy smoke condition coming from the roof,' said Duffey. 'Further investigation found that there was fire in the facility, within the ductwork, above one of their process lines.'
A working fire assignment was struck, and mutual aid responded from Hanover, Norwell, and Weymouth.
He says this was a difficult fire due to the layout of the facility.
'It's a chemical company, they mix their own adhesives ‰?| they make tape. With just the nature of that, the fire was above one of the adhesive lines. We had the concerns of flammables below us, and then also within the ductwork, they have some different processors in the ductwork to keep it clean, and to keep the environment clean,' said Duffey. 'They burn off a lot of the vapor, so we were dealing with high heat, high electricity, so it was very difficult.'
Duffey says the bulk of the fire was knocked down in about 30 minutes.
No injuries were reported, but due to water above electrical equipment, there was extensive damage throughout the facility.
---------------------------------------------
JUVENILE SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED IN DUNDEE CHEMICAL EXPLOSION
https://www.miheadlines.com/2022/02/17/juvenile-suspects-identified-in-dundee-chemical-explosion/
Tags: us_MI, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
DUNDEE, MI ' The Dundee Police Department have identified two juveniles who were responsible for the chemical/pressure device explosion at the Village Pointe Apartments at 611 Rawson St. on the evening of Tuesday February 15th, 2022.
The two juveniles involved and their parents met with police last night and have cooperated fully with investigators. A report will be turned over to the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office for a review of charges and forwarded to the Juvenile Division of the Monroe County Probate Court for further action.
---------------------------------------------
FIREFIGHTERS, HAZMAT TEAM DOUSE DANGEROUS FIRE AT PLANT
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2022/02/17/firefighters--hazmat-team-douse-dangerous-fire-at-suit-kote-plant-
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, response, asphalt
Several local and state agencies rushed to contain a fire that broke out Wednesday afternoon at the Suit-Kote asphalt plant in Cortlandville.
Fire officials said the call for assistance came in around 5:30 p.m., and units arrived to find plastic pellets the company uses for paving ablaze near storage tanks filled with liquid asphalt.
The threat of those tanks catching fire brought out specialized units. Firefighters gained control of the fire in about 1 hour.
"Hazmat response was generated by what they do here with the liquid asphalt, the paving products. Not sure 100% what was burning, so we had the city hazmat team, city of Cortland Hazmat Team respond, bringing in foam as well," said Mike Biviano, deputy chief the Cortlandville Fire Department.
According to fire crews, no injuries were reported and the investigation into what sparked the fire is underway.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT INCIDENT AT WALMART IN KAHULUI
https://mauinow.com/2022/02/16/hazmat-incident-at-walmart-in-kahului/
Tags: us_HI, public, release, response, irritant
The Walmart store in Kahului was evacuated on Wednesday morning when fumes from a floor sealing product released a respiratory irritant into the air, Maui fire officials said.
Firefighters responded to the incident at 8:13 a.m.
According to department reports, a contractor was spraying a sealing product on the floor within the store, but it released volatile organic compounds during off-gassing as it dried.
Fire officials say the liquid is an irritant when in contact with exposed skin, and the fumes created a respiratory irritant.
One female patient was transported for respiratory difficulty; and one male patient was treated at the scene for skin irritation after coming in contact with the product.
Firefighters with the departmentæÈs Rescue 10 and Hazmat 10 units, as well as a Battalion Chief responded to the incident and remained on scene to ensure fumes were reduced to safe levels before the store reopened.
---------------------------------------------
EDINBURGH CHEMICAL PLANT WORKERS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL FOLLOWING EMERGENCY INCIDENT
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-chemical-plant-workers-rushed-23122651
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, release, injury, pharmaceutical
Three people have been hospitalised as a result of an emergency incident at an Edinburgh pharmaceutical plant.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene at the MacFarlan Smith facility on Wheatfield Road following reports of a serious issue on Wednesday afternoon.
At least eight vehicles from Police Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) attended the incident, according to eyewitnesses.
One told Edinburgh Live a chemical spill had caused a mass response, but that is now understood not to be the case.
Three workers have since been rushed to hospital as a precautionary measure while an internal investigation is underway.
Officers blocked off access to the plant shortly after the incident while specialist teams were dispatched, however the nature of the emergency has not been disclosed.
---------------------------------------------
AREA FIREFIGHTERS SUE MANUFACTURERS THEY SAY KNOWINGLY SOLD UNIFORMS, FIREFIGHTING FOAM THAT CONTAIN DANGEROUS CHEMICALS FOR DECADES
https://www.universalhub.com/2022/area-firefighters-sue-manufacturers-uniforms
Tags: us_MA, industrial, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
More than a dozen firefighters from Worcester to Boston today sued 3M, DuPont, Honeywell and other manufacturers of the "turnout gear" they wear at fires and a type of chemical foam they often use, alleging the companies have known for years the products contain a class of chemical that has been linked to cancer and other ailments and which winds up in firefighter's bodies in high concentrations.
In their complaint, filed today in US District Court in Boston, the firefighters focus on a class of fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS, which have long been used in firefighting gear because of its heat resistances, and in one type of foam.
The firefighters allege the companies knew about the chemicals' potentially harmful effects - and about safer alternatives - but did nothing to protect their profits.
---------------------------------------------
PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS A GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY COVERING WASTE
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/progress-made-towards-a-global-plastics-treaty-covering-waste/4015242.article
Tags: France, public, follow-up, environmental, plastics, waste
The US and France are calling for an international treaty to address the global problem of plastic pollution. A joint statement by the two countries says they are committed to protecting the environment for future generations. An estimated 8.8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters the world's ocean each year.
'Recognising the transboundary aspects of plastic pollution and the importance of curbing it at its source, the United States and France support launching negotiations at the upcoming fifth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) on a global agreement to address the full lifecycle of plastics and promote a circular economy,' the two nations assert in the statement, which was released on the last day of an ocean summit on 11 February in France.
National delegations will begin work on the new treaty at the UNEA meeting, which will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 February to 2 March. The final agreement, expected to be patterned after the Paris climate accord of 2015 and focused on limiting the amount of pollution in the world's oceans, is anticipated in 2024. The US and France are in agreement that the resultant global plastics treaty should include 'binding and non-binding commitments' and 'call on countries to develop and implement ambitious national action plans'.
---------------------------------------------
DRANO BOMB EXPLOSION IN DUNDEE, MICHIGAN
https://www.wtol.com/article/news/crime/dundee-pd-cminor-chemical-explosion-believed-to-be-homemade-drano-bomb/512-3d4c54a9-10c0-46ca-aac9-446436b38e4f
Tags: us_MI, education, explosion, response, bomb
DUNDEE, Mich. ' Dundee police and fire crews are on the scene of a "minor chemical explosion" Tuesday night.
The device is believed to be a homemade "Drano bomb," according to a post from the Dundee Police Department on Facebook. The explosion occurred in the 600 block of Rawson Street near Dundee High School.
A second device was found nearby, Dundee police say, and Michigan State Police ordnance removal and hazmat crews have been called to assist in safely removing and preserving the device for evidence.
---------------------------------------------
BUTANE HONEY OIL LAB EXPLODES IN SIMI VALLEY; FILLMORE TEENS ARRESTED
https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/county/2022/02/15/butane-honey-oil-lab-explosion-simi-valley-fillmore-teens-arrested/6791766001/
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, explosion, response, butane, drugs, illegal
Simi Valley police arrested a 41-year-old man after a butane honey oil laboratory exploded inside his apartment early Tuesday morning.
The explosion, reported at 4:14 a.m. in the 1800 block of Bishop Lane, blew out windows on the ground floor of the apartment building, burned the top of the man's feet and singed his hair, according to first responders.
The man and his uninjured roommate were taken to a local hospital as a precaution, authorities said.
Police attributed the explosion the volatile chemicals used in making honey oil, a concentration of the psychoactive chemical in marijuana.
The injured man was arrested on felony charges of manufacturing a controlled substance, while the roommate was determined to be uninvolved in the criminal activity, according to police.
---------------------------------------------
GAS LEAK SEES SIX PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AND LEISURE CENTRE EVACUATED
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-chemical-leak-sees-six-26239221
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
Six people have been hospitalised with breathing difficulties after a gas leak at a leisure centre in Cleveland.
The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) were called to Loftus Leisure Centre at 3.10pm this afternoon.
They treated 10 patients with breathing difficulties and transported six of them to hospital, while the leisure centre was evacuated.
Craig Strike, Head of Prevention at Cleveland Fire Brigade, has told Teesside Live that four members of the public and two staff members have been taken to hospital with breathing difficulties.
Everyone Active, which operates the leisure centre, confirmed there has been a gas leak.
---------------------------------------------
LA COUNTY AGAIN PUSHES FOR PHASE-OUT OF OIL REFINERY CHEMICAL
https://mynewsla.com/government/2022/02/15/la-county-again-pushes-for-phase-out-of-oil-refinery-chemical/
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
Continuing a years-long campaign, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to send a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state attorney general asking that California take whatever steps necessary to halt the use of a much-debated chemical at oil refineries in Torrance and Wilmington.
The board unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn calling for the letter to be signed by all five members of the board, calling for modified hydroflouric acid to be phased out at the two refineries and replaced with a safer alternative.
Hahn said the Torrance Refining Company and Valero Wilmington Refinery are the last two in the state using the chemical, known as MHF. Efforts have been undertaken in the past to encourage a phasing out of the chemical, most notably following a Feb. 18, 2015, explosion at the Torrance refinery. According to a federal review after the blast, debris from the explosion nearly ruptured a tank containing MHF.
'If it had hit that tank, we would have had a massive disaster here in Southern California,' Hahn said. 'It's a reminder to all of us (of) the life-threatening catastrophic risk that MHF still causes to county residents.'
---------------------------------------------
USA REACHES AN AGREEMENT WITH CLEVELAND-CLIFFS FOR 2019 TOXIC CHEMICAL SPILL
https://lawstreetmedia.com/news/agriculture/usa-reaches-an-agreement-with-cleveland-cliffs-for-2019-toxic-chemical-spill/
Tags: us_IN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ammonia, cyanide
On Monday, the United States of America and the State of Indiana filed a complaint in the Northern District of Indiana against Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor LLC and Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC for a 2019 discharge of toxic chemicals into Lake Michigan, which resulted in the killing of marine life and the closure of several public beaches in Indiana.
The defendants own the Burns Harbor Facility, 'one of the largest fully integrated steel mills in North America, with the capacity to produce approximately 5 million tons of raw steel per year.' The facility has a federal NPDES permit which authorizes it to 'discharge treated wastewater, stormwater, and non-contact cooling water, as well as treated sanitary sewage wastewater from the Town of Burns dHarbor's wastewater treatment plant.' The plaintiffs alleged that Cleveland-Cliffs sends once-through, unrecycled water into the treatment plant despite not being allowed to do so. Because of this, the facility allegedly discharged toxins including cyanide and ammonia into Lake Michigan. Furthermore, in August 2019, an alleged malfunction led to millions of gallons of intoxicated wastewater to be dumped into Lake Michigan, which Cleveland-Cliffs failed to notify the federal authorities of for several days. This caused the closure of several public beaches, the killing o!
f thousands of marine life, and a major cleanup mission to detoxify the lake.
The United States of America sued Cleveland-Cliffs seeking injunctive relief permanently enjoining the defendants from further violating the Clean Waters Act (CWA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), civil penalties, reimbursement, disbursement, and other relief.
---------------------------------------------
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST EASTMAN OVER JAN. 31 INCIDENT
https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/eastman-steam-line-failure/class-action-lawsuit-filed-against-eastman-over-jan-31-incident/
Tags: us_TN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, asbestos
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) ' Eastman Chemical Company faces a class-action lawsuit following the Jan. 31 'steam pipe failure' at the company's Kingsport plant, which injured five workers and caused debris possibly containing asbestos to rain down in a nearby neighborhood.
The lawsuit filed by Knoxville-based firm Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman accuses Eastman of trespass, negligence, and being a public and private nuisance. It claims Eastman 'engaged in ultra-hazardous activities by transporting high pressure steam under unsafe condition through an asbestos-lined steam line.'
Jan. 31 Eastman steam line failure led to 3,000-plus pounds of excess volatile organic compound emissions
The lawsuit also claims the company failed to warn nearby residents in a timely manner about the 'dangers of contaminants released by the steam line explosion.'
On the day of the incident, Eastman did not release a public statement until nearly an hour and a half after the steam line failure happened. Since then, the company has said that it did not ask city officials to send an alert to residents because it did not see the potential for off-site impact until hours after the incident.
Eastman reported 3 wastewater discharges same day as steam line failure
The plaintiff in the lawsuit, Sharon Weatherly, owns a home in the area where the debris fell. The lawsuit claims that Weatherly's neighborhood and much of Kingsport will be negatively impacted by the incident.
---------------------------------------------
EXTENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL POLLUTION ON EVERY CONTINENT ON EARTH REVEALED
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/extent-of-pharmaceutical-pollution-on-every-continent-on-earth-revealed/4015238.article
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, discovery, environmental, pharmaceutical
The global extent of pharmaceutical pollution has been revealed in a new study that has also shone a spotlight on contamination hotspots around the world. A lab in York in the UK worked with samples from 259 rivers, encompassing 104 countries on every continent to build-up a picture of contamination of waterways with drugs.
'This is the first time, using one huge dataset, we are able to take a comparative view of pharmaceutical pollution across the world,' says John Wilkinson at the University of York, UK, where water samples were shipped by collaborators for high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The survey involved the cooperation of 86 institutions worldwide, with a consortium of 127 researchers. Previously, extensive data on pharma pollution was only available for the US, Europe and China.
Samples were collected at 1052 locations, including 36 countries not previously studied, and screened for 61 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Each partner collecting samples followed the same protocol and samples were analysed on one instrument using the same method. The most contaminated sites were in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia and South America. Waterway pollution is the result of production, disposal or human use of pharmaceuticals.
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