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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 6:37:45 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 (14 articles)
FUEL SPILL SHUTS DOWN SOUTH LANES OF FLORIDA‰??S TURNPIKE IN OSCEOLA COUNTY ‰?? WFTV
Tags: us_FL, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical, petroleum
HERALD: THREE WORKERS DIE IN A MAJOR EXPLOSION AT ZUARI AGRO, ZUARINAGAR
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, ammonia
FLORIDA SUES CHEMICAL COMPANIES OVER HEALTH RISKS OF PFAS
Tags: us_FL, public, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
FIRE CAUSES HAZMAT EXPOSURE RISKS IN SAN JACINTO
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response, batteries, chlorine
LONDON, ONT. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS CREWS REMAIN ON SCENE AS CARBON DIOXIDE LEAKS FROM TRUCK
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, carbon_dioxide
CHESHIRE: FIREFIGHTERS TACKLE CHEMICAL STORE FIRE
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, hydrogen_sulfide
NO CHARGES FILED AFTER MARION COUNTY CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_WV, transportation, follow-up, environmental, hydrochloric_acid
PA. DEP BEGINNING INVESTIGATION INTO CHEMICAL SPILL IN SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP.
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, response, other_chemical
CLIMATE CHANGE IS PUSHING TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO DRINKING WELLS
Tags: us_OR, public, discovery, environmental, toxics
AI TOOL FINDS GREEN WAYS TO TURN CHEMICAL WASTE INTO DRUGS
Tags: Europe, laboratory, discovery, environmental, drugs, waste
PFAS EXPOSURE LINKED TO LIVER DISEASE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
POLICE RESPOND TO CHEMICAL SPILL IN SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP.
Tags: us_PA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
REPORT MEMORIALIZES WORKERS KILLED ON THE JOB IN ATTLEBORO AREA, STATE
Tags: us_MA, industrial, follow-up, death, unknown_chemical
BP TO PAY MORE THAN $65,000 OVER 2020 JET FUEL SPILL IN ADELAIDE'S PORT RIVER
Tags: Australia, public, follow-up, environmental, jet_fuel, petroleum
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FUEL SPILL SHUTS DOWN SOUTH LANES OF FLORIDA‰??S TURNPIKE IN OSCEOLA COUNTY ‰?? WFTV
https://www.wftv.com/news/local/osceola-county/fuel-spill-shuts-down-south-lanes-floridas-turnpike-osceola-county/2OU7RD4E5FEHLASNVGA65V25B4/
Tags: us_FL, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical, petroleum
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. ‰?? The southbound lanes of Florida‰??s Turnpike were shut down in Osceola County Tuesday morning as crews worked to clean up a fuel spill.
Osceola County firefighters said approximately 50 gallons of fuel spilled on the roadway after a commercial vehicle overturned near Partin Settlement Road.
Officials said no injuries were reported in the crash, but hazmat crews were on scene cleaning up the fuel.
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HERALD: THREE WORKERS DIE IN A MAJOR EXPLOSION AT ZUARI AGRO, ZUARINAGAR
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Three-workers-die-in-a-major-explosion-at-Zuari-Agro-Zuarinagar/189370
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, ammonia
ZUARINAGAR: A major blast occurred at the Zuari Agro Chemical factory at Zuarinagar on Tuesday afternoon. Three workers died in the explosion reported at the factory premises. The workers were repairing a condenser tank.
Contract workers of Bokaro industrial works (maintenance contractor) were undertaking work on the ammonia plant process condensed tank having a capacity of 300 metres cubic. They were performing shutting down operations of the plant by using hot works technology.
They were engaged in opening the top cover manhole of the tank by loosening the bolts. However, the workers used the gas cutter due to which an explosion occurred and the partial roof of the tank went off and the workers were thrown to the ground. All three workers died on the way to the hospital.
Police investigation revealed that in the blast the workers flew off from the top cover of the tank and fell 30 metres from the tank. (The height of the tank from the ground level is 10 mts approx).
‰??We were planning a shutdown of the plant on the 30th of this month (April) and the contractor staff were removing a nut bolt of the tank and while it was recommended to use cold works, they used hot works technology of gas cutting leading to a blast in the tank that caused the death of three contractual workers,‰?? a source at the site, who did not wish to be named, said.
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FLORIDA SUES CHEMICAL COMPANIES OVER HEALTH RISKS OF PFAS
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article261019177.html
Tags: us_FL, public, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
Florida is suing the makers of certain firefighting foams, accusing them of polluting the environment and potentially sickening people with chemicals.
Attorney General Ashley Moody‰??s office filed suit in mid-April in Hillsborough circuit court. The state‰??s lawyers accuse several businesses ‰?? including DuPont de Nemours, Inc.; The Chemours Company FC, LLC; Tyco Fire Products; and Chemguard, Inc. ‰?? of using materials that could put people at risk of cancer and other illnesses. The substances are commonly called ‰??forever chemicals.‰??
The companies, the Attorney General‰??s Office said, did not warn customers or the public about the danger.
Florida‰??s case follows similar lawsuits from other states and agencies, including Tampa Bay Water, which oversees much of the region‰??s drinking water, and the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, which oversees Tampa International Airport.
Attorney General‰??s Office spokesperson Kylie Mason declined to comment, saying the ‰??case is active and ongoing.‰?? Asked why the attorney general, who is from Plant City, filed it in Hillsborough, she said: ‰??There are multiple locations within the state where there have been contaminations, and Hillsborough is one of those affected areas.‰??
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FIRE CAUSES HAZMAT EXPOSURE RISKS IN SAN JACINTO
https://mynewsla.com/crime/2022/05/02/fire-causes-hazmat-exposure-risks-in-san-jacinto/
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response, batteries, chlorine
A vehicle fire that extended into the garage of a San Jacinto home Monday burned chlorine tablets and batteries, creating hazardous materials exposure risks.
The non-injury blaze was reported about 12:55 p.m. in the 800 block of Shaver Street, just east of Hewitt Street, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said that multiple engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames raging in a vehicle, spreading to the garage of a single-story residence.
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LONDON, ONT. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS CREWS REMAIN ON SCENE AS CARBON DIOXIDE LEAKS FROM TRUCK
https://globalnews.ca/news/8804149/london-fire-department-crews-carbon-dioxide-truck/
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, carbon_dioxide
London firefighters and police are still monitoring a commercial vehicle on Dundas and Saskatoon streets as gas leaks into the air.
Hazardous material technicians are also on scene, and the Ministry of the Environment has been contacted, platoon chief manager Gary Mosburger said.
Mosburger says the gas leaking from the tank is carbon dioxide and not considered dangerous.
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CHESHIRE: FIREFIGHTERS TACKLE CHEMICAL STORE FIRE
https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/20109227.latest-update-percival-lane-chemical-store-fire-runcorn/
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, hydrogen_sulfide
CREWS are continuing to monitor levels of gas following a large fire at a chemical storage building in Cheshire.
At its height, six fire engines from Warrington, Lymm, Chester, Northwich and Tarporley fire stations attended the incident on Percival Lane, Runcorn, at about 7.45pm on Friday.
The blaze occurred a week after the same road saw a huge fire break out at a pallet yard, with plumes of smoke being seen for miles around.
On arrival at the scene on Friday, crews found a fire smouldering in the roof space of the unit where maintenance work had been carried out.
Additional fire engines were deployed to the scene owing to the fire producing hydrogen sulphide gas.
Firefighters wearing protective kit attempted to tackle the fire using the site‰??s own fire suppression system.
---------------------------------------------
NO CHARGES FILED AFTER MARION COUNTY CHEMICAL SPILL
https://www.wdtv.com/2022/05/02/no-charges-filed-after-marion-county-chemical-spill/
Tags: us_WV, transportation, follow-up, environmental, hydrochloric_acid
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) - Charges will not be filed against a trucking company responsible for a large chemical spill last month in Marion County.
No enforcement will be taken against Dak Trucking, Terry Fletcher, with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, said.
The spilled chemicals were collected, treated, and disposed of properly, Fletcher said.
A transporter truck spilled around 2,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid onto Rt. 250 on April 6.
---------------------------------------------
PA. DEP BEGINNING INVESTIGATION INTO CHEMICAL SPILL IN SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP.
https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/pa-dep-beginning-investigation-into-chemical-spill-in-south-whitehall-twp/article_ec2dc74e-ca5d-11ec-9577-5370c68c6e87.html
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, response, other_chemical
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said it's beginning an investigation into a chemical spill in South Whitehall Township.
The spill happened Sunday morning at the GEO Specialty Chemical plant. Lehigh County Emergency Services tells us the state DEP is dealing with GEO Specialty Chemicals directly, and the company has hired an independent contractor to handle the cleanup.
So Lehigh County Emergency Services is no longer involved, but they were able to tell us the spill has been contained, and they don't believe any chemical got into the nearby Jordan Creek.
The chemical has been identified as Dowtherm A. Emergency Services said the product actually froze after spilling early Sunday morning, prompting a shelter in place order for people living within a one-mile radius of the plant in South Whitehall Township. Emergency services later said there was no immediate threat to the public.
Dowtherm A is a heat transfer fluid, and a fact sheet from the manufacturer Dow Chemical says it can cause skin and eye irritation. It also says "Spills or discharge to natural waterways is likely to kill aquatic organisms." But one day after the spill we were able to see fish alive and swimming in the Jordan Creek.
---------------------------------------------
CLIMATE CHANGE IS PUSHING TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO DRINKING WELLS
https://phys.org/news/2022-05-climate-toxic-chemicals-wells.html
Tags: us_OR, public, discovery, environmental, toxics
But with climate change confronting communities across the West, people who rely on wells are at particular risk as wildfires grow in intensity and frequency. Without vegetation, fire-scarred land becomes more susceptible to mudslides that can damage watersheds. Drought can increase the concentration of pathogens and other contaminants in well water. And fires can damage the well equipment and piping, leaching toxic chemicals into drinking water and forcing property owners to consider costly repairs, upgrades and filtering systems even as they rebuild their homes and businesses. Beyond the West, heavier rains and floods threaten well water quality, too.
In Oregon, about a quarter of state residents rely on private wells for their water supply, according to the Oregon Health Authority. An estimated 2,000 households that rely on private wells were affected by the Labor Day fires of 2020, which, fueled by severe windstorms, rank among the largest and deadliest fires ever experienced in the state. In response, the state established a free voucher program that pays for people affected by the Labor Day fires to test their well water for some contaminants.
---------------------------------------------
AI TOOL FINDS GREEN WAYS TO TURN CHEMICAL WASTE INTO DRUGS
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/ai-tool-finds-green-ways-to-turn-chemical-waste-into-drugs/4015606.article
Tags: Europe, laboratory, discovery, environmental, drugs, waste
A synthesis platform dubbed Allchemy has identified several drugs and agrochemicals that can be made from chemical waste streams. After predicting feasible synthetic routes, the program applies environmental, economic and geographic considerations to rank the reactions and even suggests greener alternatives to the known pathways. The software was successfully tested in an on demand drug manufacturing system.
‰??By carefully limiting the extent of chemical space and ranking the synthetic routes that traverse it, this methodology allows millions of potential products to be analysed in terms of value and sustainability,‰?? comments Frank Glorius at the University of MÌ1Ú4nster in Germany who wasn‰??t involved in the study. ‰??Building on such an analysis, new circular processes can be developed that save resources and reduce emissions.‰??
‰??Historically, the emphasis has been put on making stuff, and few people have cared about what to do with all the junk left as a by-product,‰?? says Bartosz Grzybowski of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea, one of the creators of Allchemy. He mentions that it‰??s been difficult to come up with creative and economically sound ideas of the kinds of products that can be made from waste. ‰??There are so many ways in which these substances can react that finding productive and useful syntheses is like searching for a needle in a haystack.‰??
---------------------------------------------
PFAS EXPOSURE LINKED TO LIVER DISEASE
https://cen.acs.org/environment/persistent-pollutants/PFAS-exposure-linked-liver-disease/100/web/2022/05
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
About 24% of the world population has non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD (Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 2017, DOI: 10.1038/nrgastro.2017.109). The condition can progress to more serious liver damage and failure. High-fat diets contribute to the disease, but lifestyle and dietary changes alone don‰??t account for the prevalence of NAFLD, says Elizabeth Costello, an epidemiology PhD student at the University of Southern California. She and her colleagues found a potential environmental factor.
Costello‰??s team reviewed the growing body of evidence from epidemiological and animal studies linking liver toxicity to exposure to a class of persistent pollutants called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS (Environ. Health Perspect. 2022, DOI: 10.1289/EHP10092). The human studies typically explored whether elevated levels of PFAS in the blood correlated with elevated levels of three enzymes linked with liver damage. The animal studies were more direct, with researchers dissecting the liver to look for signs of damage and probe biochemical mechanisms.
The researchers found a compelling connection between NAFLD and exposure to three PFAS: perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). The evidence for newer PFAS is not as strong, Costello says, but there are not as many studies on these compounds, especially in humans. ‰??Because their chemical structures are similar, we expect the toxic effects will be similar,‰?? she says.
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POLICE RESPOND TO CHEMICAL SPILL IN SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP.
https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/police-respond-to-chemical-spill-in-south-whitehall-twp/article_59ec7762-c95f-11ec-899b-93b578403366.html
Tags: us_PA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. - Police and first responders were called to a chemical plant in South Whitehall Township early Sunday morning after residents reported a strong smell.
Crews responded to the GEO Specialty Chemical plant on North Cedar Crest Boulevard around 5 a.m. after it smelled strongly like fabric softener, officials said.
Residents within a one-mile radius of the plant were ordered to shelter in place while a hazardous materials team worked with personnel from the chemical plant to identify and contain the spill, said officials.
Local Trending News
They determined that the chemicals were not dangerous, and the shelter-in-place order was lifted around 7 a.m.
Officials said cleanup was underway and there is no risk to the public, but people in the area may still notice an unusual smell for some time.
GEO manufactures a wide range of products, including chemicals for wastewater treatment, industrial lubricants and acrylic resins.
---------------------------------------------
REPORT MEMORIALIZES WORKERS KILLED ON THE JOB IN ATTLEBORO AREA, STATE
https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/report-memorializes-workers-killed-on-the-job-in-attleboro-area-state/article_891abba5-3216-51e1-b1cb-6a39abce8d50.html
Tags: us_MA, industrial, follow-up, death, unknown_chemical
ATTLEBORO -- A city factory worker killed in a flash chemical fire and a truck driver killed in a crash in Mansfield were among those memorialized in a report highlighting the increase in workplace injuries, illness and death.
The report by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, says 52 workers died on the job in 2021, up from 45 workers killed on the job in 2020.
Among them were Nathan Collito, 26, of Attleboro, and Albert Facada, 67, of Revere. They were listed in an in memoriam section of the report called ‰??Dying for Work in Massachusetts.‰??
An additional 10 firefighters died of work-related disease, according to the report.
Collito died Nov. 13, 2021, at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, two days after suffering second- and third-degree burns in a flash fire at Composite Modules Inc., 61 Union St.
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BP TO PAY MORE THAN $65,000 OVER 2020 JET FUEL SPILL IN ADELAIDE'S PORT RIVER
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-02/bp-to-pay-for-adelaide-port-river-jet-fuel-spill/101030010
Tags: Australia, public, follow-up, environmental, jet_fuel, petroleum
Petroleum giant BP will pay a $48,000 fine and other costs for spilling jet fuel into Adelaide's Port River in 2020.
Key points:
A hose failure caused fuel to spill at Largs Bay in February 2020
Residents reported health effects from the fumes to environmental authorities
The $65,000 includes a $48,000 civil penalty and legal costs
The UK-registered fuel company BP Shipping Limited has agreed to pay $65,319 to avoid prosecution by South Australia's Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
The EPA said it received 16 complaints about the spill, with residents reporting health effects from the fumes.
BP's payment includes a $48,000 civil penalty and more than $17,000 in technical expenses.
The company will additionally pay almost $11,000 in legal costs, but the EPA conceded the fine had been reduced because of BP Shipping's "good compliance record".
The fuel spill happened on February 29, 2020, when BP vessel British Engineer was moored at Largs Bay, transferring A-1 jet fuel to the onshore terminal owned by Mobil.
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