From: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (6 articles)
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2016 07:17:23 -0500
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at 7:17:05 AM

A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pinboard.in_u-3Adchas&d=BQIFaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=H38ZgDW04GmGfOq9AOI9PKby1vsIEJV09AAmTz_YtQo&s=fr1mkKdd30TZnWyBH0Wa7YQDxCl5KY3T_Ev6B_wCKas&e=

Table of Contents (6 articles)

KANAWHA DEPUTIES SAY TWO ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH METH LAB AFTER MOBILE HOME FIRE
Tags: us_WV, public, fire, response, meth_lab

TRUMBULL AUTHORITIES RESPOND TO HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_CT, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

COMPANY TO PAY $200K TO RESOLVE HAZARDOUS WASTE ISSUE
Tags: us_NH, industrial, discovery, environmental, illegal, mercury, waste

SANTA ROSA HAZMAT TEAM REMOVES MERCURY FROM OAKMONT
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, mercury

ONE MAN DIES IN WATER-TREATMENT PLANT EXPLOSION
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, death, water_treatment

TESLA SPONTANEOUSLY CATCHES FIRE IN NORWAY
Tags: Norway, public, fire, response, batteries


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KANAWHA DEPUTIES SAY TWO ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH METH LAB AFTER MOBILE HOME FIRE
Tags: us_WV, public, fire, response, meth_lab

CLENDENIN, W.Va. -- Kanawha County deputies said two people have been arrested in connection with a methamphetamine laboratory after a house fire in the Clendenin area.
Michael and Jaime Canterbury were arrested and were expected to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.
A fire gutted a mobile home on Governor Drive on the Kanawha-Roane county line. Neighbors at the scene said that Michael and Jaime Canterbury lived at the residence.

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TRUMBULL AUTHORITIES RESPOND TO HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_CT, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

TRUMBULL " First responders evacuated 15 people and took six to local hospitals following a small chemical spill at a Corporate Drive dental practice.
In a prepared statement Tuesday, Deputy Chief Alex Rauso Jr., a spokesman for the Long Hill Fire Department, wrote that firefighters, and EMTs "responded to a small chemical spill" round 11:30 a.m. the same day.
"The spill was in a dentist office. Approximately an ounce of Formocresol spilled causing a strong odor," wrote Rauso. "This product is a disinfectant solution used as part of endodontic treatment."
According to the statement, firefighters consulted with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Fairfield County Hazardous Incident Response Team "and mitigated the small spill." After firefighters ventilated the affected area, people were allowed back in.

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COMPANY TO PAY $200K TO RESOLVE HAZARDOUS WASTE ISSUE
Tags: us_NH, industrial, discovery, environmental, illegal, mercury, waste

New Hampshire's attorney general says the state has reached an agreement with a recycling company that will pay $200,000 to resolve hazardous waste allegations.

Universal Recycling Technologies based in Wisconsin recycles waste lamps and cathode ray tubes at its facility in Dover. The state issued hazardous waste violations alleging improper storage and disposal at a landfill that isn't authorized to accept hazardous waste. Analysis of the debris indicated that the lead concentration exceeded that permitted by the state's hazardous waste laws and rules.

Department of Environmental Services officials also discovered that the company's recycling process for the lamps didn't effectively lower the concentration of mercury levels for state and federal standards.

Attorney General Joseph Foster said the company cooperated and corrected the violations.

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SANTA ROSA HAZMAT TEAM REMOVES MERCURY FROM OAKMONT
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, mercury

A Santa Rosa Fire Department hazardous materials team removed a glass jar of mercury from a garage in Oakmont without incident Monday morning.

Firefighters were called about 10:30 a.m. by a resident on Aspen Meadows Circle, who said a neighbor who hadmoved away had left him the jar sealed with a cork that appeared to be failing, Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal said. The man had taped the cork in place and called for assistance, he said.

Taking a cautious approach, firefighters closed a portion of the street and sent two hazmat team members in protective suits into the garage to assess the situation. After determining the jar held about a cup of mercury, which is poisonous, the team placed it in a paint can-sized container, which was locked inside a five-gallon bucket padded with absorbent material, Lowenthal said.

The mercury in the jar "was as contained as it could be " just as we"d like," he said. The operation, which took less than an hour, attracted a crowd of onlookers, he said.

The mercury was taken to the municipal services center for collection by state Department of Toxic Substance Control personnel, Lowenthal said.

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ONE MAN DIES IN WATER-TREATMENT PLANT EXPLOSION
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, death, water_treatment

An employee of a water treatment company died Monday when an explosion occurred as he was mixing chemicals, county officials said.

The explosion that occurred about 10:30 a.m. Monday at the business along North County Road 1140 just west of Midland killed Julian Gallardo, and destroyed a building, two RVs and three other vehicles, officials said.

"Upon arrival, a structure was completely engulfed in flames. Once the flame was extinguished, personnel discovered the body of (company employee) Julian Gallardo within the structure," according to a press release from the county.

No other injuries were reported.

The initial explosion at Water Rescue Services was followed by a series of smaller ones, according to area residents, and a plume of smoke could be seen for miles.

"In the house it sounded like the boom of fireworks but a little bit louder," said Kayla Wilson, who heard the explosion from inside her home across the street. "And then you could hear a series of smaller ones."

The Midland Fire Department, Northeast Fire Department, and the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department all responded to the scene with more than six engines and extinguished the flames after a little more than an hour, according to the Midland Fire Marshall Dale Little.

"There was some sort of chemical reaction, or spark that caused the chemicals to react," Little said Monday afternoon. "It looked like that was what happened. At this point it"s still under investigation."

The building itself and all of its contents were completely destroyed by the blast and fire, Little said.

Although the fire emitted an odor, officials did not believe the burning chemicals to be toxic.

"The challenge of getting up around a chemical fire is knowing what you"re facing," he said. "Some things you can"t put water to. You just can"t be sure what you"ve got until there"s somebody that can tell you what kind of chemical you"ve got."

Supervisors of Water Rescue Services were on site as firefighters worked to put out the blaze. The company treats brackish and produced water for use in hydraulic fracturing operations. The investigation will also determine whether safety violations led to the accident, Little said.

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TESLA SPONTANEOUSLY CATCHES FIRE IN NORWAY
Tags: Norway, public, fire, response, batteries

Just last week at a Supercharge station in Norway, a Tesla Model S burst into flames while the owner of the car was in a nearby store getting a bite to eat.

It is reported that the blaze arose from the leakage of a chemical found in the lithium-ion battery of the Tesla. Other electronics with lithium-ion batteries, such as the trendy hover-boards, have reportedly caught fire while charging due to similar battery malfunctions. Firefighters that arrived on the scene had to use a special chemical to suppress the flames, and the exact cause of the chemical leak and subsequent fire are still unknown due to the condition of the car post-disaster. What is known however, is that in past Tesla fires of this magnitude, the direct cause is usually a punctured underside of the car"s titanium shield. What makes this fire such a mystery is that Tesla has both reinforced its titanium shield and upgraded its software to prevent this type of accident due to previous fires. Tesla has issued a statement saying that:

"Nobody was harmed. We are undergoing a full investigation and will share our findings as soon as possible".

Until the deliberation has reached its end, it is anyone"s guess as to what was the cause of this incident. Let"s just hope that the problem is solved before another Tesla turns from an eco-friendly automobile to a menacing, flaming deathtrap.

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