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http://www.keyc.com/node/31332
Ohio
Two Thousand Evacuated After Gas Leak in Ohio
December 14, 2009 at 3:00pm
Around two-thousand people were evacuated from buildings near the Port
Columbus Ohio International Airport today. Authorities worked to contain
a hydrogen sulfide chemical leak inside a petroleum company. Fire
officials said several people were treated for breathing difficulties.
The leak occurred just before 8 a-m, near the Heartland Refinery. One
official said initially the gas was seeping from pipes located at the
refinery
===
http://www.justicenewsflash.com/2009/12/15/10-people-hospitalized-inhaling
-chemical-fumes-fire_200912152734.html
California personal injury - 10 people hospitalized after inhaling
chemical fumes during fire
2009-12-15 02:31:16 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash,
Personal Injury)
Bakersfield, CA=E2=80=93 A small fire at Primex Farms sent 10 people to
the hospital after inhaling chemical fumes that were emitted from the
small fire. The blaze broke out around 4:15 p.m., on Thursday, December
10, 2009, at the pistachio processing company located in the 16000 block
of Wildwood Road near Wasco, as reported by Turnto23.com.
The Kern County Fire Department rushed to the scene to extinguish the
small toxic blaze at Primex Farms. When fire crews arrived at the scene,
they discovered several workers who were complaining of dizziness,
nausea, and headaches. A total of 10 people were rushed by emergency
medical services (EMS) teams to area hospitals for treatment of their
illnesses caused by the chemical reaction. Their current conditions or
extent of their injuries are not available at this time. Apparently
stored fumigant used to kill rodents and pests at the processing company
reacted with the rain, which ignited the small fire. The fire was
quickly extinguished with the help of hand-held fire extinguishers and
firefighters. The Hazardous Materials unit from Station 66 in
Bakersfield assisted in determining if the product was safe. Police
officials and fire officials are reportedly investigating the incident.
===
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/12/hash_oil_home_explosion_not_a
.php
Colorado
Hash oil home explosion not a surprise to one expert
By Michael Roberts in Follow That Story, MarijuanaTue., Dec. 15 2009 **At_Symbol_Here**
1:06PM
=E2=80=8BThis weekend, an explosion rocked the home of a licensed
medical marijuana grower in Breckenridge, reportedly because roommates
of the owner who were injured in the accident were trying to process
hashish using butane.
If that's what happened, the people in question were taking a
considerable risk, says Timothy Tipton, founder of the Rocky Mountain
Caregivers Cooperative.
"I knew one of these days something like this would happen," Tipton
says. "It's not anything to be playing around with. It's a very
dangerous process."
According to Tipton, "California, where medical marijuana has been legal
since 1996, has had prohibitions in place associated with the use of
petroleum products such as butane in extraction" -- a process probably
used in this case to produce hash oil, which is often referred to as
honey oil.
That's not the case with the constitutional amendment that sanctioned
medical marijuana in Colorado. Still, Tipton feels locals interested in
using butane to make honey oil -- which can feature as much as 96
percent pure THC -- should know going in how delicate the procedure is.
"Honey oil is made or extracted using bud or leaf matter in a
cylindrical metal tube that is set on top of a glass Pyrex plate,"
Tipton explains. "At the end of the tube is a fitting that would
accommodate a butane cartridge, and as that butane cartridge is released
into the tube with the marijuana matter, the butane leaks through onto
the Pyrex plate, which has a film on top of it. Over time, the butane
airs off and all that remains, with the exception of residual matter, is
honey oil that is scraped with a razor blade off the bottom of the plate
after the butane has successfully evaporated."
It doesn't always, though.
"A common problem associated with the use of this therapy revolves
around the persons participating in the extraction process not having
gotten rid of all the extracted chemicals," he maintains. "So there's
very little understanding of the chemical makeup of the honey oil, and
whether it has residual butane, petroleum or chemical products that may
be detrimental to our patients' health and welfare."
Similar issues involving the safety of medical marijuana-related
products were mentioned by Senator Chris Romer in a Monday blog about
his visit to the Cannabis Holiday Health Fair. In this case, however,
there's a way around such difficulties -- by using a different method to
make honey oil.
"Normally, hash medicine is made with bubble bags and an ice process
that doesn't involve chemicals such as ether or butane," Tipton says.
"And there are honey oil extraction processes that don't incorporate
volatile materials."
For instance, "there's a glycerin-based process, and there's also a
food-grade cylindrical-tube press method, where the raw matter is
compressed under considerable force to extract any oils without any use
of petroleum-based products for extraction."
Learning how to do this ain't easy. Indeed, Matt Schnurr, a molecular
biology grad student, has offered classes to teach the method that
Tipton describes as "the equivalent of a basic chemistry course."
Of course, people interested in taking a short cut to honey oil
production can find manufacturing tips on the Internet, too. But those
who choose this short-cut need to remember something extremely important
when it comes to the use of butane.
"This process needs to be done outdoors in a safe environment with the
realization of butane's volatility and the possibility of fire or
explosion," Tipton says. "Because one spark as all of that butane is
being released has the potential of creating disaster."
===
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/cdc-body-burden-471
21501
6 Risky Chemicals You're Carrying in Your Body
In the most comprehensive testing to date, the CDC finds Americans are
exposed to 212 chemicals. Here's how to avoid six of the riskiest.
By Dan Shapley
=09
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released its latest
assessment of the chemicals we're all carrying around in our bodies. The
biomonitoring study is the most comprehensive in the world, measuring
212 chemicals in the blood and urine of 8,000 Americans. That's more
than 40% more chemicals than have ever been tested for before.
The results: You can find 212 chemicals in the blood and urine of
Americans if you look for them.
But what does it mean for your health? The CDC highlighted a few
chemicals because they are both widespread -- found in all or most
people tested -- and potentially harmful. Here's a look at what they are
and how you can try to avoid them.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
Better known as "flame retardants" PBDEs are used widely in all sorts of
goods -- from foam furniture to electronics -- to reduce fire risk. They
also accumulate in human fat, and some studies suggest they may harm the
liver and kidneys as well as the neurological system. Some states,
including California, Washington and Maine, have restricted the use of
certain PBDEs deemed the highest health risk. Short of such bans,
avoiding them is difficult because the chemicals are integrated into so
many common products.
Bisphenol A
BPA, which is found in many plastics, in the lining of cans and even
coating many sales receipts, was found in more than 90% of Americans
tested. The health concerns about BPA are many and growing. While
BPA-free products are available, it can be difficult to choose them
unless you do research ahead of time. The Daily Green has a list of many
products containing BPA to help.
PFOA
PFOA and other perfluorinated chemicals found in most Americans are used
to create heat-resistant and non-stick coatings on cookware, as well as
grease-resistant food packaging and stain-resistant clothing. Studies
have linked these chemicals to a range of health problems, including
infertility in women, and to liver, immune system, developmental and
reproductive problems in lab animals. Avoiding them can be difficult,
but avoiding products that contain them is a first step.
Acrylamide
Formed when carbohydrates are cooked at high temperatures (French fries
anyone?) and as a byproduct of tobacco smoke, acrylamide and its
metabolites are extremely common in Americans. While the risks of
low-level exposure aren't well known, high-level exposure has caused
cancer and neurological problems in lab animals and workers,
respectively. Avoiding it in food comes down to food choice, storage and
preparation, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Examples
include boiling or baking potatoes, rather than frying them, or soaking
them in water before frying; toasting bread only lightly; and moderating
the drinking of coffee, which gets acrylamide in the roasting process.
Mercury
The main source of mercury -- a potent neurotoxin that can lead to
permanent brain damage if young children or fetuses are exposed --
continues to be contaminated fish. To avoid mercury, you have to educate
yourself about which fish are safe. Several guides exist to help make a
smart choice at the fish counter.
MTBE
This gasoline additive has been phased out of use in the U.S., in favor
of ethanol, but it still can be detected widely in American's bodies.
(It has contaminated many drinking water supplies.) While the health
risks are not well defined, studies have linked it to a variety of
potential problems, including neurological and reproductive damage.
The good news in the CDC report is that effective regulation can really
reduce harmful exposures to chemicals. Testing reveals that secondhand
smoke exposure has declined 70%, for instance, and lead poisoning (as
defined by the CDC; some scientists think the acceptable level is too
high) now affects less than 2% of children aged 1-5.
The bad news is that, not only are Americans being exposed to many
potentially harmful chemicals, in mixtures that are totally untested,
but even this most comprehensive testing regimen accounts for less than
1% of the chemicals most Americans are exposed to regularly. The
Environmental Protection Agency has identified at least 6,000 chemicals
that Americans are routinely exposed to.
Until and unless U.S. regulation of chemicals changes, chemicals will
continue to be used in commerce before rigorous safety testing. That
means it's up to consumers to avoid chemicals they deem risky.
Read more:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/cdc-body-burden-471
21501#ixzz0ZrG2fmN3
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