From: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (15 articles)
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2016 05:46:16 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, July 22, 2016 at 5:45:26 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=DQIFaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=Ek7CpL734kNKkEs-0OfOVguHudfparVSt9Y5xhzk7dY&s=HBs4DJaXW4ktftWxIyQZOYDb3Bh_UXrrz6MR1tRCauM&e=

Table of Contents (15 articles)

PROPANE TANKS CATCH FIRE, EXPLODE AT WEST VALLEY RV DEALER
Tags: us_AZ, public, explosion, response, propane

HAZMAT CREWS CLEAN UP MERCURY LEAK AT VALLEJO-OWNED DAM
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, mercury

AMHERST HAZMAT SITUATION CAUSED BY MAN DISTILLING URINE
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, other_chemical

150 EVACUATED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL IN CHINO WAREHOUSE
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, flammables

GREEN GROUP HIGHLIGHTS 10 CHEMICALS FOR EPA REGULATION
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, asbestos, pce, plastics, toxics

COLORADO TOWN'S WATER MAY BE TAINTED WITH MARIJUANA CHEMICAL
Tags: us_CO, public, discovery, response, drugs

MERCADONA CHANGES 'RECIPE' OF BODY LOTIONS AFTER VERY LOW RISK OF CHEMICAL REACTION HIGHLIGHTED
Tags: Spain, public, discovery, response, drugs, pharmaceutical

VIDEO CAPTURES MAN ACCUSED OF BUILDING CHEMICAL WEAPON INSIDE WALMART
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, unknown_chemical, illegal

HASH OIL LAB MAY HAVE CAUSED SANTA ROSA WAREHOUSE FIRE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, fire, response, butane, drugs, fire_extinguisher

HAZMAT SITUATION PROMPTS EVACUATION IN NORTH CHARLOTTE
Tags: us_NC, industrial, release, injury, sulfuric_acid

DRIVERS KILLED IN HEAD-ON CRASH THAT CAUSED CHEMICAL FIRE ON I-40
Tags: us_TN, transportation, fire, death, dye, paints

WAL-MART ASKS ITS SUPPLIERS TO STOP USING EIGHT CHEMICALS
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental, formaldehyde

METH LAB DUMPSITE FOUND IN PORT HURON
Tags: us_MI, public, discovery, response, meth_lab

I-84 EASTBOUND SHUT DOWN IN WEST HARTFORD
Tags: us_CT, transportation, fire, response, chlorine

CITIZENS ENERGY IDENTIFIES INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMER AS SOURCE OF NATURAL GAS ODOR
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, natural_gas


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PROPANE TANKS CATCH FIRE, EXPLODE AT WEST VALLEY RV DEALER
Tags: us_AZ, public, explosion, response, propane

PHOENIX (KPHO/KTVK) -
Phoenix firefighters and hazmat crews were called to the scene of a west Valley RV dealership Thursday, after a fire and explosions were reported.

It happened around 1:30 p.m. at La Mesa RV near 75th Avenue and McDowell.

Fire officials say a fire started in one RV. It was quickly upgraded to a hazardous materials assignment after the flames spread to nearby propane tanks, igniting explosions.

"Crews will be fighting this fire from a defensive position with ladder pipes and from the exterior," says Reda Bigler with the Phoenix Fire Department.

Fire crews we

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HAZMAT CREWS CLEAN UP MERCURY LEAK AT VALLEJO-OWNED DAM
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, mercury

pecially trained hazardous materials crews have begun a dangerous clean-up job at Lake Curry Dam in Napa County, where an alarming amount of mercury leaked earlier this week.
The city of Vallejo, which owns the dam, says a contractor hired to do routine maintenance work near the dam discovered the leak of the highly toxic substance coming from a 92-year-old non-functioning flow meter.
The meter had been leaking mercury onto the valve house floor for an undetermined period of time, the city said.
Lake Curry Dam hasn't been used as a source of drinking water since 1989, and people aren't in danger, according to Fiona Strykers, assistant director with Vallejo Public Works.

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AMHERST HAZMAT SITUATION CAUSED BY MAN DISTILLING URINE
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, other_chemical

AMHERST, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -
An evacuation at a North Amherst apartment complex Wednesday night was all caused by one man who was cooking his own urine on the stove.

Neighbors complained of a strong, potent odor at Brandywine Apartments.

When firefighters arrived, they found more than just chemicals.

"Some people thought maybe explosives, doesn't seem to be any indication of that," said Amherst Assistant Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren.

When firefighters entered the apartment, authorities said that they saw what appeared to be mixed chemicals cooking on the stove.

"It's clear the individual was at least doing some experimenting. Whether he was trying to create something specific, we really don't know based on what was there for evidence," Stromgren added.

Neighbors said that they saw a helicopter flying overhead and people in hazmat suits.

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150 EVACUATED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL IN CHINO WAREHOUSE
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, flammables

CHINO >> A 200-gallon chemical spill at a Chino warehouse Thursday afternoon forced the evacuation of about 150 employees but injured no one, according to a fire official.

The spill of a flammable liquid used to remove graffiti was reported at 3:24 p.m. Thursday in the 4600 block of Schaefer Avenue in Chino, Chino Valley Fire District spokesperson Danielle Barnes wrote in an email. Employees were already evacuating the building when firefighters arrived, she wrote.

The spill was contained to a warehouse. Firefighters helped the facility‰??s hazardous materials team notify state and county agencies and a clean-up company, Barnes wrote.

Firefighter/paramedics checked out one person at the request of a supervisor for an unspecified reason, but that person was not hospitalized, Barnes wrote.

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

GREEN GROUP HIGHLIGHTS 10 CHEMICALS FOR EPA REGULATION
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, asbestos, pce, plastics, toxics

A green advocacy group is highlighting ten toxic chemicals it wants the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate under new broad powers.

Topping the Environmental Working Group‰??s list is asbestos, a cancer-causing substance still found in automobile brake pads and clutches, vinyl tiles and roofing materials.

The other nine chemicals the group lists include PERC ‰?? a probable carcinogen that appears in dry-cleaning fluid, spot removers and water repellants; phthalate chemicals in PVC plastics, toys and plastic wrap linked to early puberty in girls; and BPA found in food cans, food containers and cash register receipts that is linked to infertility and diabetes.
‰??After decades of stagnation, EPA can now ban or restrict the use of toxic chemicals and order companies to conduct safety testing when more information is needed,‰?? EWG Senior Scientist David Andrews said in a statement. "It's important that the agency act promptly to eliminate or reduce Americans' exposure to industrial compounds linked to cancer, birth defects, hormone disruption and other health problems."

In June, Obama signed an overhaul of the nation‰??s chemical safety laws into law that lawmakers had been fighting years for. The legislation gives EPA the authority to test and regulate chemicals already in the marketplace, as well as new substances.

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COLORADO TOWN'S WATER MAY BE TAINTED WITH MARIJUANA CHEMICAL
Tags: us_CO, public, discovery, response, drugs

HUGO, Colo. (AP) ‰?? Officials told residents of a small Colorado community not to drink or shower in tap water Thursday because one of the town's wells may have been contaminated with THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical.

No illnesses have been linked to the water in Hugo, a town of about 730 people some 100 miles southeast of Denver, said Lincoln County Public Health Director Susan Kelly.

THC was detected in tests conducted with field kits, although other field tests were negative, sheriff's Capt. Michael Yowell said.

More definitive laboratory tests were underway, he said.

The field tests weren't capable of showing how much THC was in the water, but only whether the chemical was there, he said.

Investigators found signs that one of Hugo's five wells had been tampered with, but they hadn't determined whether someone deliberately tainted the water, Yowell said.

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

MERCADONA CHANGES 'RECIPE' OF BODY LOTIONS AFTER VERY LOW RISK OF CHEMICAL REACTION HIGHLIGHTED
Tags: Spain, public, discovery, response, drugs, pharmaceutical

SUPERMARKET chain Mercadona has changed the ingredients of eight of its Deliplus lotions and three Solcare after-suns from sale because of warnings about 'conflicting' elements in the original recipe, but insists anyone who has used them is not at risk.

According to the Spanish Association of Medicines and Pharmaceutical Products (AEMPF), the PH corrector Triethanolamine and the preserving agent Bronopol, when found together in the same product, have been known to generate the chemical Nitrosamine.

Nitrosamine exposure long-term can increase the risk of cancer, the AEMPF says.

Certain animals have developed malignant tumours as a result of Nitrosamine exposure, and tests indicate it may be one of the risk factors in developing stomach cancer in humans.

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

VIDEO CAPTURES MAN ACCUSED OF BUILDING CHEMICAL WEAPON INSIDE WALMART
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, unknown_chemical, illegal

OXNARD (CBSLA.com) ‰?? Dramatic video has been released of a man who police say stands accused of building a chemical weapon inside a Walmart store in Oxnard.

The man wearing all black is initially seen in the security footage from June 18 blending in like any other shopper.

But, authorities say, he didn‰??t come to the store to shop, but to build a chemical weapon.

‰??This is a very bizarre case,‰?? said Eric Sonstegard, the Oxnard assistant police chief.

Detectives identified the suspect as Martin Reyes. They say he went to the store after conducting research online on how to build a deadly chemical weapon.

Once inside the store, police said the man assembled all of the ingredients from store shelves, which included some kind of electronic appliance.

Police said he used a socket near the stationary section to plug in the appliance, which was then designed to set the chemical weapon off.

‰??This device could have caused a lot of harm,‰?? Sonstegard said.

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

HASH OIL LAB MAY HAVE CAUSED SANTA ROSA WAREHOUSE FIRE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, fire, response, butane, drugs, fire_extinguisher

Thousands of butane cannisters were the first clues to what sparked a fire that damaged a west Santa Rosa warehouse, fire officials said Wednesday.

Police and fire investigators suspect people were extracting oil from marijuana in a laboratory behind false walls built in the Condo Court warehouse off Coffey Lane, officials said.

Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal said he suspects the Tuesday afternoon fire started with a hash oil setup involving butane gas and electric equipment like bucket heaters and hot plates.

Firefighters had to break through walls built behind doors to get inside the warehouse after the 911 call reported smoke coming from the roll-up garage door at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Lowenthal said. They forced their way in past heavy smoke and carved a hole in the roof to relieve the heat, Battalion Chief Matt Dahl said.

No one was inside, despite spent fire extinguishers indicating people had tried to put out the flames, Lowenthal said. It wasn‰??t clear whether they had abandoned hope of extinguishing the fire or if it appeared to be out but then continued smoldering until it reignited. The doors were locked.

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

HAZMAT SITUATION PROMPTS EVACUATION IN NORTH CHARLOTTE
Tags: us_NC, industrial, release, injury, sulfuric_acid

CHARLOTTE, N.C. ‰?? Emergency crews are responding to a hazmat situation in north Charlotte.

Just after 1 p.m., Charlotte Fire responded to the 200 block of West 24th Street between Graham Street and North Tryon Street.


Officials say that the employee at a storage facility spilled sulfuric acid, prompting a building evacuation as a precaution. The employee was treated by Medic on scene for minor burns. No one was seriously injured or taken to the hospital, according to Charlotte Fire.

Just after 2:30 p.m., Charlotte Fire declared the building safe and deemed the scene under control.

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

DRIVERS KILLED IN HEAD-ON CRASH THAT CAUSED CHEMICAL FIRE ON I-40
Tags: us_TN, transportation, fire, death, dye, paints

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) ‰?? Two people died in a car crash that caused a chemical spill and fire on Interstate 40 East in Knoxville early Wednesday morning.

The Knoxville Police Department received a call just after 1 a.m. about an SUV that had entered the westbound lanes of the interstate going the wrong way from James White Parkway.

Seconds later, another 911 caller said two vehicles had collided near Interstate 275.

The SUV had collided head-on with a tractor trailer, causing it to burst into flames. The truck was carrying several hundred pounds of Benzoquinone, a hazardous chemical used for paints and dyeing. To avoid soil and water contamination, authorities allowed the chemical to burn.

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

WAL-MART ASKS ITS SUPPLIERS TO STOP USING EIGHT CHEMICALS
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental, formaldehyde

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is asking suppliers to remove formaldehyde, triclosan and six other substances from their products, part of an effort to eliminate controversial chemicals from household goods.
The chemicals on the list include ‰??certain properties that can affect human health or the environment,‰?? Wal-Mart said in a statement Wednesday. The world‰??s largest retailer created the list with help from the Environmental Defense Fund, aiming to get suppliers to find alternatives, said Zach Freeze, Wal-Mart‰??s director for strategic initiatives related to sustainability. The list was limited to eight high-priority chemicals so that Wal-Mart could make meaningful progress.
‰??We wanted to get started,‰?? he said in an interview. ‰??We knew it wasn‰??t going to be a perfect list.‰??
Naming the chemicals follows Wal-Mart‰??s announcement in 2013 that it would ask suppliers to reduce some substances in personal-care, cleaning and beauty products and promote alternatives. At the time, it didn‰??t get specific about the list. The program is an example of widening scrutiny by merchants, manufacturers and legislators into the effect of chemicals, as well as a nod to heightened consumer concerns. In June, for instance, President Barack Obama signed a bill that overhauls the nation‰??s laws governing chemicals.

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

METH LAB DUMPSITE FOUND IN PORT HURON
Tags: us_MI, public, discovery, response, meth_lab

Port Huron police officers investigating a larceny discovered four used one-pot meth labs Tuesday night.

The labs, along with methamphetamine components and precursors, were found in a vacant lot in the 1600 block of Whipple Street about 11 p.m.

The St. Clair County Drug Task Force was called to decontaminate, dismantle and dispose of the labs.

There are no suspects at this time.

‰??We want to send the message once again to everyone; if you see what might even possibly be the remnants of a meth lab, walk away and contact your local police agency or the Drug Task Force,‰?? said Sheriff Tim Donnellon in a statement. ‰??The remnants left in these one pot vessels can be very volatile. If the chemicals reactivate, it can cause a chemical fire or explosion.‰??

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

I-84 EASTBOUND SHUT DOWN IN WEST HARTFORD
Tags: us_CT, transportation, fire, response, chlorine

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)‰?? Interstate 84 eastbound is back to normal traffic levels in West Hartford after a vehicle fire with a possible hazmat situation closed the highway midday Tuesday.

Both sides of I-84, eastbound and westbound, were closed at exit 44 just before 12 noon, after a van caught on fire on the side of the roadway. Police later determined that the van was carrying chlorine, but intially dispatched HAZMAT teams to handle a potentially more dangerous chemical spill.

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

CITIZENS ENERGY IDENTIFIES INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMER AS SOURCE OF NATURAL GAS ODOR
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, natural_gas

INDIANAPOLIS -- Citizens Energy confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the source of a natural gas-like smell across central Indiana came from one of its industrial customers.

A spokesperson says that Heritage Crystal Clean, 1560 W. Old Raymond St., Indianapolis, released a chemical into the air that contained an odorant smelling similar to natural gas.

Citizens says the issue has been resolved.

Fire departments, the Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security spent most of Tuesday morning trying to figure out what was caused the odor.

The Carmel Fire Department tweeted around 8 a.m. that they were receiving calls from people smelling gas in the area.

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