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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, June 27, 2022 at 5:40:38 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)
WOMAN KILLED IN PAINT CAN EXPLOSION AT DUNDIGAL
Tags: India, public, explosion, death, diesel, waste
LARGE FIRE CAUSES EXPLOSIONS AT HAIFA INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX; NO INJURIES
Tags: Israel, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY'S NEW GREEN DEALS
Tags: us_TX, industrial, discovery, environmental, petroleum, plastics
'GOOD OUTCOME' AFTER ARCTIC GLACIER AMMONIA LEAK
Tags: us_MN, industrial, release, response, ammonia
GALVESTON COUNTY TRAFFIC: HAZMAT SPILL INVOLVING HEAVY TRUCK ON GULF FREEWAY NEAR FM 518 CAUSED DELAYS, TXDOT SAYS
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical
FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE OF SUSPECTED AMMONIA LEAK DETROIT
Tags: us_MI, public, release, response, ammonia
INVESTIGATORS HAVE 'PROMISING LEAD' ON BREACH THAT LED TO CHEMICALS SPILLING INTO FLINT RIVER
Tags: us_MI, public, follow-up, response, unknown_chemical
HONORS HALL AT UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA EVACUATED DUE TO POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
Tags: us_AL, laboratory, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
PARKING LOT DEATH TRIGGERS STATE HAZMAT RESPONSE IN SOUTHBRIDGE
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
VICTIM IN 2018 MAGNET SCHOOL LAB FIRE AWARDED $133K
Tags: us_NC, education, follow-up, injury, ethanol
CHEMICAL TEAM CALLED TO MARSHALL INDUSTRIAL PARK
Tags: us_MN, industrial, release, response, ammonia
NOX-CRETE UPDATES NDEE ON CHEMICALS IN BUILDING FIRE
Tags: us_NE, industrial, follow-up, environmental, nitrogen, toluene
FEARS THAT THE WAR IN EAST OF UKRAINE COULD LEAD TO DEADLY CHEMICAL DISASTER
Tags: Ukraine, industrial, discovery, environmental
US EPA TO REASSESS HEALTH RISKS OF GLYPHOSATE
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, environmental, ag_chems, pesticides
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WOMAN KILLED IN PAINT CAN EXPLOSION AT DUNDIGAL
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/woman-killed-in-paint-can-explosion-at-dundigal/article65568221.ece
Tags: India, public, explosion, death, diesel, waste
A 27-year-old woman was killed on the spot when a paint can she was trying to open exploded in Dundigal police limits late on Saturday.
R. Lakshmi, along with her family, was living on the premises of the SBVK function hall at Bahadurpally and taking care of it. The family hails from Nagireddypet in Kamareddy district and had moved to Hyderabad six months ago for better job prospects.
Police said Lakshmi was trying to open the 25-litre can to clean and use it as a container to get diesel for the generator. It is suspected the paint can was old. A bomb disposal team arrived at the scene at around 11 p.m. and examined the contents. Samples were also sent to a forensic laboratory.
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LARGE FIRE CAUSES EXPLOSIONS AT HAIFA INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX; NO INJURIES
https://www.timesofisrael.com/large-fire-causes-explosions-at-haifa-industrial-complex-no-injuries/
Tags: Israel, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
Firefighters were battling to control the blaze after a number of buildings containing hazardous materials caught fire overnight Saturday in an industrial and logistics complex in Haifa.
Explosions were heard, apparently as the flames detonated the contents of the building. Video posted to social media showed flames engulfing the structures.
It was unclear what had been stored in the buildings, with some of the explosions appearing to produce light-colored flames.
No casualties were reported in the fire, but three people were rescued from nearby homes.
Firefighters were working to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby structures.
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THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY'S NEW GREEN DEALS
https://cen.acs.org/environment/sustainability/chemical-industrys-new-green-deals/100/i23
Tags: us_TX, industrial, discovery, environmental, petroleum, plastics
When the petrochemical maker LyondellBasell Industries announced in April that it would close its century-old refinery in Houston by the end of 2023, the news was hardly a surprise. The facility, which processes heavy imported crude oil to make fuels and aromatics, had lost money for the past 3 years. LyondellBasell had been looking to sell it since September to no avail.
What was unusual about the announcement was then'interim CEO Ken Lane's declaration in a press release that shutting the unit 'advances the Company's decarbonization goals.' The refinery accounts for nearly 15% of LyondellBasell's emissions from industrial processes and purchased energy.
In a conference call later that month, Lane added that the 300-hectare site would be ideal for Lyondell to repurpose for sustainability initiatives. The company has been piloting a pyrolysis process that breaks down postconsumer plastics into petrochemical feedstocks, and the Houston refinery has hydrotreaters that can aid the process. The site, Lane told analysts, 'could be very synergistic with our circular ambition.'
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'GOOD OUTCOME' AFTER ARCTIC GLACIER AMMONIA LEAK
https://www.marshallindependent.com/news/local-news/2022/06/good-outcome-after-arctic-glacier-ammonia-leak/
Tags: us_MN, industrial, release, response, ammonia
MARSHALL ' A mechanical issue with a refrigeration system is being blamed for a release of ammonia at the Arctic Glacier ice facility Thursday evening.
Part of Marshall's industrial park was evacuated after the Marshall Fire Department and the area Hazardous Materials Response Team responded to the scene.
There were no injuries reported in the incident, and responders ventilated the building, said Marshall Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold.
'We're glad it was a good outcome,' he said.
Brunsvold said the mechanical issue with the refrigeration system led to a release of pressure that also released ammonia outside the building. Responders found elevated levels of ammonia inside the facility as well, but there were no employees inside the building at the time, he said.
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GALVESTON COUNTY TRAFFIC: HAZMAT SPILL INVOLVING HEAVY TRUCK ON GULF FREEWAY NEAR FM 518 CAUSED DELAYS, TXDOT SAYS
https://abc13.com/gulf-freeway-hazmat-accident-traffic-houston-i45/11993314/
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical
GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A hazmat spill involving a heavy truck caused some Friday afternoon delays on the Gulf Freeway. The incident cleared about an hour after it happened on the northbound lanes near FM 518.
The incident had caused all northbound mainlanes to be blocked, according to a tweet from TxDOT. The incident was reported at about 1:38 p.
---------------------------------------------
FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE OF SUSPECTED AMMONIA LEAK DETROIT
https://www.audacy.com/wwjnewsradio/news/local/first-responders-on-scene-of-suspected-ammonia-leak-detroit
Tags: us_MI, public, release, response, ammonia
DETROIT (WWJ) - Fire crews in Detroit are responding to a suspected chemical leak on the city's northwest side, officials confirmed Friday evening.
A spokesperson for the Detroit Fire Department told WWJ's Ingrid Kelley that they're working the scene of a suspected ammonia leak near Evergreen and Capital Street by Rouge Park.
Authorities declared the leak a "HAZMAT Level 1" situation that they believe originated from a nearby food distribution system.
At Level 1, hazardous materials that can be contained and cleaned up with little risk to the environment and to public health.
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INVESTIGATORS HAVE 'PROMISING LEAD' ON BREACH THAT LED TO CHEMICALS SPILLING INTO FLINT RIVER
https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2022/06/investigators-have-promising-lead-on-breach-that-led-to-chemicals-spilling-into-flint-river.html
Tags: us_MI, public, follow-up, response, unknown_chemical
FLINT, MI ' Genesee County authorities believe they have a lead in pinpointing the exact location of a breach at a Flint company that led to thousands of gallons of chemicals spilling into the Flint River.
In a Friday, June 24, press briefing streamed live on Facebook, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson ' who doubles as the county's Emergency Management Coordinator ' said investigators with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy have not yet found a smoking gun in locating the breach, but they have 'a very promising lead.'
'We have an area. We are literally dissecting it,' Swanson said. 'Think of it as an autopsy. Young's Environmental and different contractors to EGLE and the EPA are taking layers off like an archeological dig, because there's so many pipes, and there's so many different avenues that this could have got into where the sewer drain was that we don't want to create another issue, but we want to document exactly where it came from and to keep it from happening again.'
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HONORS HALL AT UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA EVACUATED DUE TO POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
https://www.wbrc.com/2022/06/23/honors-hall-university-alabama-evacuated-due-potentially-dangerous-material/
Tags: us_AL, laboratory, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - The University of Alabama has sent out an alert saying Honors Hall has been evacuated out of an abundance of caution because of a potentially hazardous material found in a storage room.
Officials with the University of Alabama say the material that caused the evacuation is a chemical that is commonly used in laboratories. The chemical can be dangerous if dried out and not moved properly.
Emergency officials removed the chemical, and will destroy it in an isolated area.
Officials say a loud boom might be heard on campus, but there is no danger to the community.
---------------------------------------------
PARKING LOT DEATH TRIGGERS STATE HAZMAT RESPONSE IN SOUTHBRIDGE
https://original.newsbreak.com/**At_Symbol_Here**quiet-corner-alerts-1594284/2645044644664-parking-lot-death-triggers-state-hazmat-response-in-southbridge
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
Southbridge, Mass. - At 6:18 pm on Wednesday, June 22nd, the Southbridge Police Department received a call for a woman slumped over the wheel of a vehicle in the parking lot of Brothers Pizza, 485 E Main St. At 6:20 pm officers arrived to observe a strong odor of chemicals coming from the vehicle and immediately requested Southbridge Fire Department and EMS to assist. Upon the arrival of fire department personnel, it was immediately determined there were not sufficient resources to handle the situation within the town, thus a Tier 1 Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) response from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services (DFS) was requested.
As of 9 pm, June 22nd, units remained on the scene and the death is still being investigated. At this point, it is unclear if the death appears accidental or intentional in nature.
Agencies that responded to the incident included the Southbridge Police Department, Southbridge Fire Department, Southbridge EMS, and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.
---------------------------------------------
VICTIM IN 2018 MAGNET SCHOOL LAB FIRE AWARDED $133K
https://www.hendersonvillestandard.com/news/victim-in-2018-magnet-school-lab-fire-awarded-133k/article_77071e3e-f0cd-11ec-9581-b34e1f9ab3ec.html
Tags: us_NC, education, follow-up, injury, ethanol
A judge has ordered the Sumner County Board of Education to pay a former Merrol Hyde Magnet School student $133,283 for injuries she sustained in a 2018 flash fire at the school.
Emergency crews evacuated the K-12 school just before 9 a.m. on May 9, 2018 after a science experiment involving the mixture of boric acid and ethyl alcohol ignited a brief explosion. The teacher conducting the experiment and eight students were treated at two local hospitals and released the same day. Nine other students were treated at the scene for their injuries.
The parents of two students filed separate lawsuits against the school district in Sumner County Circuit Court in March and April of 2019. Both lawsuits claimed the school district was negligent in allowing the teacher to conduct the experiment and said the fire caused permanent physical and/or mental health damage.
A settlement agreement was reached with the parents of one of the students in April of 2020 for $20,000.
In the second lawsuit filed April 3, 2019 by a mother on behalf of her daughter who was 15 years old at the time of the incident, the mother alleged the classroom explosion caused serious, permanent injuries to her daughter. The mother sought a total of $850,000 in damages for medical bills, lost wages and emotional distress.
In June of 2020, the school district admitted the incident was caused by the actions of its employee, a science teacher who no longer works for the school district, and didn't dispute liability. However, the school district denied the nature and extent of the victim's injuries and losses claimed by the mother, and the case went to trial in October of 2021.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL TEAM CALLED TO MARSHALL INDUSTRIAL PARK
https://www.marshallindependent.com/news/local-news/2022/06/chemical-team-called-to-marshall-industrial-park/
Tags: us_MN, industrial, release, response, ammonia
The Marshall Fire Department and the Southwest Minnesota Chemical Assessment Team were called to the Arctic Glacier ice facility on Halbur Road in Marshall Thursday night, in response to reports of an ammonia odor. Marshall Police blocked traffic on Michigan Road, and nearby businesses in the industrial park were evacuated while responders went to work. Marshall Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold said responders thought the leak was no longer active. They ventilated the structure, and businesses to the north of Arctic Glacier were evacuated, Brunsvold said.
---------------------------------------------
NOX-CRETE UPDATES NDEE ON CHEMICALS IN BUILDING FIRE
https://fox42kptm.com/news/local/nox-crete-updates-ndee-on-chemicals-in-building-fire
Tags: us_NE, industrial, follow-up, environmental, nitrogen, toluene
OMAHA'Nox-Crete has sent the state an updated list of materials that were in its warehouse when it went up in flames on Memorial Day.
According to public records, the company sent an inventory of 125 chemicals that were in quantities below 1,000 pounds to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) on June 21. It had already submitted chemicals in quantities above 5,000 pounds.
Included on the new list is just under 46 pounds of toluene diisocyanate. Fox 42 previously reported the chemical had been listed on an inventory NDEE had of the building in February. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, TDI produces toxic gases like cyanides and nitrogen oxides when burned.
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FEARS THAT THE WAR IN EAST OF UKRAINE COULD LEAD TO DEADLY CHEMICAL DISASTER
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/fears-that-the-war-in-east-of-ukraine-could-lead-to-deadly-chemical-disaster/4015860.article
Tags: Ukraine, industrial, discovery, environmental
As the war in Ukraine drags on into its fourth month, there have been increasing reports of attacks on chemical facilities. On 31 May an air strike in Severodonetsk caused the explosion of a nitric acid container, spewing a huge cloud of toxic fumes into the air, with residents urged to stay in their homes. On 12 June there were reports of a huge fire at the Azot chemical plant in the same city, where hundreds of civilians were sheltering.
News of such chemical leaks do not come as a surprise to Yaroslav Yurtsaba, Ukraine's national manager for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The organisation has been working with the Ukrainian government to monitor and improve chemical safety for a number of years, but the shift in the hostilities to the Donbas region in the east of Ukraine is particularly worrying. 'This part of the country is heavily industrialised. More than 600 industrial enterprises that actually store a lot of chemicals are placed there,' says Yurtsaba.
---------------------------------------------
US EPA TO REASSESS HEALTH RISKS OF GLYPHOSATE
https://cen.acs.org/policy/litigation/US-EPA-reassess-health-risks/100/i23
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, environmental, ag_chems, pesticides
In a win for public health and environmental groups, a federal appeals court ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the human health risks of glyphosate. The EPA must reassess the cancer risks of the widely used herbicide, as well as its impact on endangered species, the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled June 17.
The ruling nixes the EPA's 2020 finding that glyphosate does not pose unreasonable risks to human health or the environment. The court agreed with the plaintiffs that the agency did not follow its own guidelines for evaluating cancer risks, but the three-judge panel ruled that the herbicide can remain on the market while the EPA completes its reassessment. The agency faces an October 2022 statutory deadline to finish that review.
The ruling 'gives voice to those who suffer from glyphosate's cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,' Amy van Saun, senior attorney with the Center for Food Safety and lead counsel in the case, says in a statement. 'EPA's 'no cancer' risk conclusion did not stand up to scrutiny.'
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup, now made by Bayer, and in many generic formulations. Bayer has been the target of thousands of lawsuits from plaintiffs who claim that using Roundup contributed to their non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In a setback for the company, the US Supreme Court announced June 21 that it will not review the ruling in one of the cases'a $25 million judgment in favor of Edwin Hardeman, a California man who claimed his cancer was caused by using Roundup on his property for decades.
The case serves as a test for thousands of other lawsuits. Most of the claims are related to residential use of glyphosate. In an attempt to thwart future litigation, Bayer announced last year that it would stop selling glyphosate in the US residential market in 2023.
Farm groups are disappointed that the Supreme Court will not hear Monsanto v. Hardeman. The Department of Justice advised it not to take up the case. In a brief submitted to the court, the Biden administration argues that states can impose labeling requirements beyond those federally mandated. Growers are concerned that a patchwork of state requirements will threaten access to tools needed to ensure a global food supply.
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