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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, September 11, 2020 at 7:49:11 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)
FIRE OFFICIALS: 200-PROOF ALCOHOL SPILL CLOSES ROADS IN BROOKFIELD
Tags: us_CT, transportation, release, response, ethanol
HUGE FIRE BREAKS OUT AT BEIRUT PORT A MONTH AFTER EXPLOSION ‰?? NEWSRADIO 560 KPQ
Tags: Lebanon, public, fire, response
CHEMICAL FIRE IN WILCO UNDER CONTROL, SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER LIFTED
Tags: us_TX, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
STRANGE ODOR IN LONG BEACH AND ORANGE COUNTY FROM CHEMICAL SPILL IN LA ‰?? ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, thiols
FIRE FORCES UPMC LOCK HAVEN HOSPITAL EVACUATION
Tags: us_PA, industrial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical
CHEMICAL RELEASE AT LITTLETON HIGH SCHOOL POOL SENDS ONE TO THE HOSPITAL ‰?? THE DENVER POST
Tags: us_CO, education, release, injury, chlorine
EPA FACES TSCA RISK EVALUATION OVERLOAD
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, formaldehyde, methylene_chloride, plastics, solvent
HAZ-MAT INCIDENT IN CHENEY
Tags: us_WA, public, release, response, chlorine
FIREFIGHTERS FIND NO SIGN OF RADIATION LEAK IN EAST OAKLAND ‰?? THE MERCURY NEWS
Tags: us_CA, industrial, discovery, response, metals, radiation, waste
FAR CHEMICAL, SITE OF PALM BAY EXPLOSION, HAS HISTORY OF SAFETY VIOLATIONS
Tags: us_FL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, waste
HURRICANE LAURA‰??S AFTERMATH: MILES OF OIL SHEEN IN LOUISIANA‰??S WETLANDS
Tags: us_LA, public, follow-up, environmental, petroleum
ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORS CHECKING SITE OF CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN PALM BAY
Tags: us_FL, industrial, explosion, response, various_chemicals
KFD WARNS OF PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION OF 'DANGEROUS' CHEMICAL THIS WEEK
Tags: us_TN, public, discovery, environmental, hydrogen_peroxide
TEXAS A&M RESEARCHERS USING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP NEW CHEMICAL SAFETY TESTING METHOD
Tags: us_TX, laboratory, discovery, environmental, pesticides
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FIRE OFFICIALS: 200-PROOF ALCOHOL SPILL CLOSES ROADS IN BROOKFIELD
https://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Fire-officials-Large-hazmat-spill-in-Brookfield-15557641.php
Tags: us_CT, transportation, release, response, ethanol
BROOKFIELD ‰?? A large hazmat spill in the Grays Bridge Road closed several roads Thursday afternoon.
Brookfield Fire Chief Andrew Ellis said he called the incident in after he saw a tanker leaking chemicals from a container a little after 2:30 p.m.
The leaking substance turned out to be 200-proof alcohol. About 100 gallons spilled on the road.
Ellis said the chemical container shifted in the truck and punctured on a support beam. The driver noticed the spill and immediately pulled over, the fire chief said.
‰??There was a large quantity of other chemicals in the vehicle as well,‰?? Ellis said.
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HUGE FIRE BREAKS OUT AT BEIRUT PORT A MONTH AFTER EXPLOSION ‰?? NEWSRADIO 560 KPQ
https://www.kpq.com/huge-fire-breaks-out-at-beirut-port-a-month-after-explosion-8/
Tags: Lebanon, public, fire, response
BEIRUT ‰?? A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, the site of last month‰??s catastrophic explosion that killed nearly 200 people and devastated parts of the capital. The new fire nearly 40 days after the blast triggered widespread panic among traumatized residents of the area.
It wasn‰??t immediately clear what caused the fire at the facility, which was decimated by the Aug. 4 explosion when nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated. The blast triggered a shock wave that blew out windows, doors and walls miles away and was felt as far away as the island of Cyprus.
A column of thick black smoke billowed from the port at midday Thursday, with orange flames leaping from the ground. Smoke covered the capital and firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene. Army helicopters were taking part in efforts to extinguish the fire.
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CHEMICAL FIRE IN WILCO UNDER CONTROL, SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER LIFTED
https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/shelter-in-place-issued-as-chemical-fire-burns-in-wilco
Tags: us_TX, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
A shelter in place order was issued Thursday evening in Williamson County due to a structure fire in Walburg with chemicals involved.
The notice affected residents within 1 mile of 4100 FM 1105. Residents were instructed to take shelter in their residences, close all exterior doors and windows, and turn off heating and A/C.
The fired at the plastic fabrication facility was brought under control by 8:30 p.m. and the shelter in place order was lifted.
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STRANGE ODOR IN LONG BEACH AND ORANGE COUNTY FROM CHEMICAL SPILL IN LA ‰?? ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
https://www.ocregister.com/2020/09/10/strange-odor-in-long-beach-and-orange-county-from-chemical-spill-in-compton/
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, thiols
Residents from Long Beach to Orange County noticed a strange odor in the air on Thursday, Sept. 10 ‰?? the result of a chemical spill near Compton, officials said.
Workers cleaning by an oil well in the 200 block of Alsina Street in Los Angeles knocked over a tank of liquid mercaptan, a non-toxic chemical used to add a detectable smell to natural gas and other hazardous materials, at about 11:15 a.m., Los Angles County Fire Department officials said.
The substance gave off an odor as it evaporated and was blown south.
‰??It‰??s highly concentrated in its liquid form,‰?? said Marvin Lim, a Fire Department spokesman. ‰??It went up into the air, and the winds carried it.‰??
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FIRE FORCES UPMC LOCK HAVEN HOSPITAL EVACUATION
https://www.sungazette.com/news/police-fire-court/2020/09/fire-forces-upmc-lock-haven-hospital-evacuation/
Tags: us_PA, industrial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical
LOCK HAVEN ‰?? UPMC Lock Haven Hospital on Cree Drive was evacuated Thursday night, with patients taken to a safe area after fire broke out in the boiler room about 9 p.m.
A hospital spokesman said maintenance crews were working at the boiler room earlier today sealing an old passageway, but the sealant being used apparently had some sort of chemical reaction and started a fire.
That‰??s the belief, anyway, but an investigation will further determine the cause, said Tyler Wagner, UPMC spokesman.
Citizens Hose Fire Chief Norm Wolfrom told The Express that firefighters encountered flames upon arrival.
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CHEMICAL RELEASE AT LITTLETON HIGH SCHOOL POOL SENDS ONE TO THE HOSPITAL ‰?? THE DENVER POST
https://www.denverpost.com/2020/09/10/south-metro-fire-littleton-high-school-chemicals/
Tags: us_CO, education, release, injury, chlorine
A release of a mixture of chemicals prompted South Metro Fire Rescue hazmat crews to respond Thursday night to Littleton High School.
Crews suited up to decontaminate the building and found that chlorine, gas and muriatic acid had mixed in the control room of the school‰??s pool, South Metro Fire Rescue said on Twitter. A custodial team was in the school at the time of the call.
The school was evacuated and the HVAC system was shut down, according to South Metro Fire Rescue.
One person received treatment and was taken to a hospital for injuries that were not life threatening.
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EPA FACES TSCA RISK EVALUATION OVERLOAD
https://cen.acs.org/policy/chemical-regulation/EPA-faces-TSCA-risk-evaluation/98/i35
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, formaldehyde, methylene_chloride, plastics, solvent
The US Environmental Protection Agency is moving ahead with risk evaluations for 20 high-priority chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), even though the agency has yet to complete several evaluations already in progress. The EPA finalized the scope of the next 20 evaluations Sept. 4, along with a list of companies responsible for paying for the reviews.
NEXT 20 HIGH-PRIORITY CHEMICALS
‰?ü 7 chlorinated solvents
‰?ü 6 phthalates
‰?ü 4 flame retardants
‰?ü Formaldehyde
‰?ü 1,3,4,6,7,8-Hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[g]-2-benzopyran (HHCB), a fragrance additive
‰?ü 1,3-Butadiene, used in manufacturing polymers.
The EPA has been struggling to meet its deadlines under amendments to TSCA enacted in 2016. The agency missed a June deadline to complete the first 10 chemical risk evaluations under the revised law. So far, the agency has completed assessments for just 2 of the chemicals‰??methylene chloride and 1-bromopropane. The EPA is now scrambling to complete the remaining 8 evaluations before the end of the year.
The 20 new assessments are also behind schedule. The EPA was over 2 months late in releasing the scoping documents. The timer started ticking when the agency identified the 20 chemicals in December 2019. It is supposed to complete the 20 assessments by December 2022, although TSCA allows for a 6-month extension. The 20 chemicals include chlorinated solvents, phthalates, flame retardants, formaldehyde, a fragrance additive, and a substance used in polymers.
---------------------------------------------
HAZ-MAT INCIDENT IN CHENEY
https://www.cheneyfreepress.com/story/2020/09/03/news/haz-mat-incident-in-cheney/27143.html
Tags: us_WA, public, release, response, chlorine
CHENEY -- Emergency response crews are onsite at a hazardous materials incident at Centennial Mills in downtown Cheney, 601 1st St. According to an alert posted on the city's website, 1st Street is closed between C Street and College Avenue. Residents are asked to avoid the area if possible.
According to an employee, the incident involves a chlorine leak that happened as a result of a broken chlorine bottle at the Archer-Daniels Midland facility. Response teams from Cheney Fire Department, Police Department, Spokane County Fire District 3, Eastern Washington University Police Department and Spokane Fire Department and Fire Hazmat unit.
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FIREFIGHTERS FIND NO SIGN OF RADIATION LEAK IN EAST OAKLAND ‰?? THE MERCURY NEWS
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09/09/firefighters-at-scene-of-possible-radiation-leak-in-east-oakland/
Tags: us_CA, industrial, discovery, response, metals, radiation, waste
OAKLAND ‰?? A feared possible radiation leak from materials on a truck Wednesday morning at an East Oakland business turned out to be a false alarm, according to officials.
The possible leak was reported about 10:30 a.m. at a scrap-metal and specialty-metal processing business in the 8900 block of Railroad Avenue, prompting a shutdown of streets in the area, but no evacuations.
Firefighters were told a truck load of what was thought to be inactive radiation materials had been brought to the facility for recycling. But there were indications that some of the materials were still emanating radiation resulting in the fire department response, made up of 18 firefighters aboard two engines.
Fire department spokesman Michael Hunt said the truck had traveled from Washington state, and added that a decontamination zone had been set up and the department‰??s hazardous materials specialists were in the process of setting up a strategy before they began taking measurements.
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FAR CHEMICAL, SITE OF PALM BAY EXPLOSION, HAS HISTORY OF SAFETY VIOLATIONS
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2020/09/09/far-chemical-site-of-palm-bay-explosion-has-history-of-safety-violations/
Tags: us_FL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, waste
PALM BAY, Fla. ‰?? Tuesday‰??s blast at FAR Chemical Inc. is the second time an explosion at the site has rocked the neighborhood, and comes after a litany of safety violations in recent years, News 6 partner Florida Today reported.
Palm Bay Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Gaius Hall said no injuries were reported from Tuesday‰??s explosions at the company‰??s 220 Wilhelmina Court location off U.S. 1, when witnesses reported hearing several large booms that generated a large cloud of black smoke visible for miles.
On May 21, 2008, a similar explosion at FAR killed 60-year-old plant worker, Harl ‰??Buck‰?? Brown, a 13-year employee.
Brown, a shift leader, was overseeing the proper disposal of chemical wastewater when 1 å1Ú2 inch glass piping leading to a 500-gallon tank ruptured, according to police. No fire was reported at the site, officials said.
The cause of Tuesday‰??s explosion remains under investigation, fire officials said, but Palm Bay spokeswoman Keely Leggett said it originated from an industrial storage area containing 30 to 40 50-gallon barrels of an isopropyl alcohol-based solution.
---------------------------------------------
HURRICANE LAURA‰??S AFTERMATH: MILES OF OIL SHEEN IN LOUISIANA‰??S WETLANDS
https://www.desmogblog.com/2020/09/09/hurricane-laura-aftermath-miles-oil-sheen-louisiana-wetlands
Tags: us_LA, public, follow-up, environmental, petroleum
Almost a week after Hurricane Laura struck Louisiana's coast, which is studded with oil and gas industry pipes, tanks, wells, and rigs, I photographed from the sky oil sheen along at least 20 miles of marsh and bayous that absorbed the full strength of the storm. Scientists say warmer ocean waters due to human-caused climate change is making hurricanes like Laura stronger and causing them to intensify more rapidly; Hurricane Laura spun up to a Category 4 storm in just 24 hours.
For miles along the western Louisiana coastline near the Texas border, I spotted large swathes of land and water that appeared coated with oil, visible as the floodwaters receded between the small communities of Grand Chenier and Cameron. On September 2 and 3, I also documented oil sheen in waterways along the bayous from Cameron north to the city of Lake Charles and as far east as New Iberia, roughly 130 miles west of New Orleans.
---------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORS CHECKING SITE OF CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN PALM BAY
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/09/09/environmental-inspectors-checking-site-chemical-explosion-palm-bay/5761418002/
Tags: us_FL, industrial, explosion, response, various_chemicals
It could take days or even weeks to clean up the site of a chemical explosion that rattled Palm Bay on Tuesday, as federal and state investigators coordinate efforts to determine the cause.
No one was reported injured in the series of blasts that happened at FAR Chemical Inc., 220 Wilhelmina Court, not far off U.S. 1, and cast a billowing cloud of black smoke into the sky.
State officials with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said it appears none of the residual chemicals or foam suppressants used to stop the fire appear to have gotten into the lagoon.
Once the site is cleaned and inspected, Palm Bay Fire Rescue investigators will continue their review of the fire.
"We're still investigating, but we'll only be investigating the fire portion of the incident," said Assistant Chief Gaius Hall of Palm Bay Fire Rescue.
More:FAR Chemical has history of safety violations
Palm Bay spokeswoman Keely Leggett said Tuesday the explosion possibly began in an industrial storage area containing 30 to 40 50-gallon barrels of an isopropyl alcohol-based solution.
Palm Bay officials are also looking into whether there was a failure in the system designed to keep the various chemicals cool.
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KFD WARNS OF PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION OF 'DANGEROUS' CHEMICAL THIS WEEK
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/kfd-warns-of-public-distribution-of-dangerous-chemical-this-week/51-57138027-d5d1-45e8-bad3-5124f10e0bb7
Tags: us_TN, public, discovery, environmental, hydrogen_peroxide
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee ‰?? The Knoxville Fire Department is warning about the inadvertent distribution of a dangerous chemical to the public that's not safe for households.
According to KFD, "multiple visitors" to the Fish Hospitality Pantry at 122 W. Scott Ave., in Northwest Knoxville picked up Tuesday one-gallon jugs of a hydrogen peroxide mix.
"The liquid mixture contains 50% hydrogen peroxide and is not intended for household or community use. The highly concentrated oxidizer poses a significant risk of first- and second-degree burns upon contact with skin," KFD said in a Wednesday release.
It appears 54 jugs went out and probably have ended up in the homes and vehicles of members of the public.
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TEXAS A&M RESEARCHERS USING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP NEW CHEMICAL SAFETY TESTING METHOD
https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/texas-am-researchers-using-innovative-technology-to-develop-new-chemical-safety-testing-method/
Tags: us_TX, laboratory, discovery, environmental, pesticides
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Texas A&M University professors Dr. Ivan Rusyn and Dr. Weihsueh Chiu a Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant to enhance chemical safety testing methods in the field of toxicology.
Rusyn and Chiu, professors in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences‰?? (CVMBS) Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS), received nearly $800,000 for the study ‰??Integrating tissue chips, rapid untargeted analytical methods and molecular modeling for toxicokinetic screening of chemicals, their metabolites and mixtures.‰??
This three-year project aims to use biological, analytical, and modeling methods to improve upon current in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE), a technique used in toxicology to determine how chemical exposures will impact an organism, for common industrial compounds and pesticides.
‰??The importance of this project is that it addresses a very acute need‰??to be able to extrapolate safe or unsafe concentrations of chemicals from experiments in cells to human oral, dermal, or inhalation exposures,‰?? Rusyn said.
IVIVE, which involves taking data learned from in vitro studies (those done outside a biological context, or ‰??test tube experiments‰??) and applying it to in vivo studies (those done on complete biological organisms), currently has numerous limitations. For example, researchers are typically forced to make many assumptions when converting in vitro data into applicable in vivo information.
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