From: Secretary ACS DCHAS <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] CHAS Tweets and Chemical Safety headlines (8 articles)
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2013 07:32:48 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 09E21042-B546-4664-AA50-0F95303F2C44**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


**At_Symbol_Here**ACSDCHAS and **At_Symbol_Here**LabSustain tweets and Chemical Safety Headlines
A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
Tweets available on our ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety (DCHAS) Facebook Page
Tagged Article summaries are available at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas

labsustain ACS Webinar: Tragic Chemical Accidents ? Tales, Investigations, and Lessons Learned http://t.co/IZRVc0KdH7

labsustain C&EN: Sharp Drop In Coal Use Predicted http://t.co/NetBsMWCAt

acsdchas Revelations of suspected scientific malpractice show the power and responsibilities of the blogging community http://t.co/3acvBnmS8t

acsdchas C&EN: Halocarbons Reassessed with regard to climate change impacts http://t.co/k9KatgtCr7 [http://t.co/ph8CYiHPCs]

labsustain C&EN: Lyme Disease Skyrockets 300,000 cases/year, 10 times previous estimates http://t.co/a1rRTIkisp http://t.co/SuzGg6PFkQ

acsdchas ES&T: Squeezable Gel Delivers Clean Drinking Water: silver nanoparticles kill disease-causing bacteria http://t.co/WcyDB0NuBD

acsdchas ACS MidWest Regional Meeting: CHEMISTRY:PART OF THE SOLUTION Oct-16-19, Springfield, MO http://t.co/Zuzz2Rlre2

acsdchas ACS Webinar: Green Chemistry Education, Charting a Course for the Future registraton page http://t.co/nFIdEyYOsq

labsustain C&EN: Halocarbons Reassessed with regard to climate change impacts http://t.co/HFOQZV9dvM [http://t.co/3WhSvyqIwq]

acsdchas C&EN: Fracking Debate Splits EuropeBattle lines are being drawn as industry begins test drilling http://t.co/VvqInc7PV0

acsdchas ES&T: Pyrotechnics Keep Getting GreenerCommon nitrogen-rich compound compares well with perchlorates http://t.co/2qfaBrqeeI

labsustain ES&T: Microbial Duo Turns Cellulose Into Fuel Fungus-bacterium combo converts plant roughage to isobutyl alcohol http://t.co/CiTCcE2uyg

acsdchas ES&T: EPA is changing use of four neonicotinoid pesticides to help protect bees and other pollinators. http://t.co/GAygys8Qtt

acsdchas J Chem Ed: Development of Rubric for Evaluating Students? Experimental Skills in Organic Chem http://t.co/JJMbKfl8mg http://t.co/sNu311fqJc


Table of Contents (8 articles)

ROTTEN TREE FALLS, SMASHES GAS METER, ODOR FILLS NEIGHBORHOOD
Tags: us_OK, public, release, response, natural_gas

CHEMICAL LEAK IN INSTITUTE
Tags: us_WV, industrial, release, response, hydrogen_peroxide, nitric_acid, peroxide

DRY ICE ACCIDENT FORCES EVACUATION, SENDS 34 TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_AR, industrial, release, injury, carbon_dioxide

CHEVRON NATURAL GAS PIPELINE LEAKS IN GULF OF MEXICO: NRC REPORT
Tags: us_MS, transportation, release, response, natural_gas

FIRE CREWS CALLED AFTER AMMONIA SPILL AT ORICA'S KOORAGANG ISLAND PLANT NEAR NEWCASTLE
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, ammonia

9 HOSPITALIZED AFTER FORMALDEHYDE GAS RELEASED AT ELGIN PLANT
Tags: us_IL, industrial, release, injury, formaldehyde

CHINA CHEMICAL LEAK IN SHANGHAI 'KILLS 15'
Tags: China, industrial, release, death, ammonia

HAZMAT SITUATION UNFOLDS INSIDE NORTHSIDE FAMILY DOLLAR STORE
Tags: us_AZ, public, release, injury, ammonia, bleach


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ROTTEN TREE FALLS, SMASHES GAS METER, ODOR FILLS NEIGHBORHOOD
http://www.krmg.com/news/news/local/rotten-tree-falls-smashes-gas-meter-odor-fills-nei/nZkRh/
Tags: us_OK, public, release, response, natural_gas

A natural gas leak brought out the Tulsa Fire Department Hazardous Materials Unit early Tuesday.
....An Oklahoma Natural Gas meter started spewing vapors after a rotted elm tree tumbled down and struck the meter.
Tulsa Fire Captain Justin Buthod tells us "a large tree trunk about four feet in diameter fell over on a gas meter and broke off in front of the valve, so we had to call Hazmat out and they used one of their plugs to put in the pipe and plug it."

---------------------------------------------

CHEMICAL LEAK IN INSTITUTE
http://58wchs.com/common/more.php?m=15&r=1&item_id=17421
Tags: us_WV, industrial, release, response, hydrogen_peroxide, nitric_acid, peroxide

Kanawha County emergency officials say they were not properly notified of a chemical spill that happened Tuesday afternoon at an Institute facility.

The release happened at Catalyst Refiners, but the leak was reported by Bayer CropScience, a neighboring facility.

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said county emergency officials weren't notified of the leak until roughly two hours after it happened, which is unacceptable.

"I spoke to the plant manager and he told me how busy they were they didn't have time," said Carper. "That's a violation in my judgment of county policy and I believe it's also a violation of state law."

According to a release from the Kanawha County Emergency Management, the chemicals involved were Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Acid. It was also reported that approximately 950 pounds of Nitric Acid were released in the incident.

However, officials with Catalyst Refiners claim that
only 50 gallons were released and it was contained inside the plant.

Carper said regardless of the amount released, the company did not make the right decision in this case.

"The failure to follow state law, the failure to follow county policy and not to mention commonsense, I think that poses unreasonable risk to the public," he said.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

Carper plans to meet with company officials on Wednesday to further discuss the incident.

"The thing here to do is to see to it that the rules are obeyed," Carper said. "People have individual responsibility and so do the companies."

Carper also didn't rule out a possible meeting in the near future involving all the chemical companies in the Kanawha Valley.

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DRY ICE ACCIDENT FORCES EVACUATION, SENDS 34 TO HOSPITAL
http://5newsonline.com/2013/08/31/dry-ice-accident-forces-evacuation-sends-34-to-hospital/
Tags: us_AR, industrial, release, injury, carbon_dioxide

A Siloam Springs plant was evacuated Saturday morning (Aug. 31) after an accident involving dry ice caused a carbon dioxide gas cloud.
....
Thirty-three Simmons employees were taken to the hospital, including five who were considered to be in immediate need of assistance.
?When our crew arrived, which was four minutes later, we had multiple patients, and so we knew we had something larger,? Siloam Springs Fire Chief Greg Neely said. ?There was coughing, shortness of breath and just an overall sense of urgency about them. When you can?t breathe, that?s very alarming.?
....
Fire officials said a preliminary investigation determined that a ?significant? amount of dry ice came into contact with heated water. The ensuing gas cloud sucked up the oxygen from the facility while filling it with carbon dioxide, officials said.
Neely said it took time to determine the source of the problem due to the number of chemicals used at the plant.

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CHEVRON NATURAL GAS PIPELINE LEAKS IN GULF OF MEXICO: NRC REPORT
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-01/chevron-natural-gas-pipeline-leaks-in-gulf-of-mexico-nrc-report.html
Tags: us_MS, transportation, release, response, natural_gas

Chevron Corp. (CVX) leaked an unknown quantity of natural gas from a pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico near Pascagoula, Mississippi, according to a report filed Aug. 30 with the U.S. National Response Center.
An investigation was under way by a dive team according to the report, filed at 5:24 p.m. local time on Aug. 30.
Bloomberg News couldn?t immediately verify the information in the filing was accurate.

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FIRE CREWS CALLED AFTER AMMONIA SPILL AT ORICA'S KOORAGANG ISLAND PLANT NEAR NEWCASTLE
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/fire-crews-called-after-ammonia-spill-at-orica8217s-kooragang-island-plant-near-newcastle/story-fni0cx12-1226709577853
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, ammonia

FIRE crews have contained a chemical leak at Orica's Kooragang Island plant near Newcastle, in which up to 100kg of toxic gas was released.

The plant, which has been the centre of several serious chemical leaks in recent years, including a hexavalent chromium discharge in 2011, went into emergency mode after ammonia leaked from a pipe flange at about 7.10am.

A NSW Fire & Rescue spokesman said up to 100kg of ammonia escaped before the pipes bled dry.

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics had been alerted to the incident but there were no injuries.

An Orica statement described the leak as "a small release of ammonia vapour".

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9 HOSPITALIZED AFTER FORMALDEHYDE GAS RELEASED AT ELGIN PLANT
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/9-Hospitalized-After-Formaldehyde-Gas-Exposure-221999921.html
Tags: us_IL, industrial, release, injury, formaldehyde

Nine people were hospitalized Saturday after being exposed to formaldehyde at an Elgin factory, officials said.

The Elgin Fire Department said they responded to a reported chemical spill at Capsonic Corporation, at 460 Second Street.

Facility representatives and a HAZMAT team determined an injection molding type machine overheated and instead of melting chemical pellets, it caused the pellets to burn, releasing formaldehyde gas, according to a release from the Elgin Fire Department.

The plant was ventilated, but a total of 12 workers were evaluated, nine of which were transported to area hospitals, the release said.

---------------------------------------------

CHINA CHEMICAL LEAK IN SHANGHAI 'KILLS 15'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-23910137
Tags: China, industrial, release, death, ammonia

A chemical leak of liquid ammonia from a cold storage unit in Shanghai has killed 15 people, according to China's official news agency.

There were also 26 people injured in the leak at around 11:00 local time (03:00 GMT), Xinhua reports.

Local media published pictures of firefighters at the scene.

China's industrial safety regulations are sometimes ignored by local authorities focused on boosting economic development, observers say.

Local media say that the incident occurred in the city's northern district of Baoshan at a refrigeration unit owned by a seafood company, AFP reports.

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HAZMAT SITUATION UNFOLDS INSIDE NORTHSIDE FAMILY DOLLAR STORE
http://www.kgun9.com/news/local/Crews-called-to-hazmat-situation-at-Family-Dollar-store-222010461.html
Tags: us_AZ, public, release, injury, ammonia, bleach

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Firefighters responded to a Family Dollar store Sunday after chemicals were intentionally spilled and mixed together.

Capt. Barrett Baker with Tucson Fire tells KGUN9 that the hazmat team was dispatched to 707 E. Ft. Lowell Rd. at about 2:30 p.m. to monitor the air and make sure the spill was cleaned up.

"Anytime you're dealing with a hazardous materials situation, it all depends on what exactly you're dealing with. But, we don't know that until we get there. So, we're kind of flying blind for lack of a better term," Baker added.

The store was evacuated and crews determined that there was nothing dangerous in the air.

One person did complain of having a hard time breathing, but they were assessed on scene and did not have to go to the hospital.

Tucson Police also responded to the store, and determined that someone had entered, poured ammonia and bleach on the floor and then left.

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