House Passes Chemical Security Measure Over Industry Objections

[ninetoes]

"The U.S. House passed legislation today opposed by DuPont Co. and other firms that would give the government the authority to force companies to replace chemicals that terrorists could use in attacks with safer alternatives. "

"Chemical-industry lobbyists say that letting the secretary mandate substitutions in chemicals and manufacturing processes, as the House measure would do, could cause shortages of some products.

“A particular chemical could be singled out because it’s viewed as bad in one application” although it’s safe when used in other ways, said Marty Durbin, vice president of federal affairs for the American Chemistry Council."

"Joseph Acker, president and CEO of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates, a Washington-based trade group for small- and mid-sized firms, has said among the chemicals that could be banned were ingredients in ibuprofen and Roche Holding AG’s Tamiflu antiviral medication. "

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aLK_.LK1Bu08&pos=9

[Lifeguard]

Does the place BOPAL INDIA ring any bells for you?

[snookums1]

Does the place BOPAL INDIA ring any bells for you?

Even though that occurred over 20 years ago, the tragedy is still being felt today in the form of diseases caused by the exposure. Some estimate over 20,000 people have died so far. And those 'safe' chemicals produced by Union Carbide are still leeching into ground water and wells.

[Lifeguard]

Even though that occurred over 20 years ago, the tragedy is still being felt today in the form of diseases caused by the exposure. Some estimate over 20,000 people have died so far. And those 'safe' chemicals produced by Union Carbide are still leeching into ground water and wells.

Woah to anyone who wants to CONTROL the chemical industries in the world...tuff luck to those who suffer, I want my Saran Wrap and my Napalm! Profits are more important than a few thousand lives...right? <<sarcasm off>>

[snookums1]

Accident Description
Two workers were fatally injured when a waste tank containing the pesticide methomyl violently exploded, damaging a process unit at the Bayer CropScience chemical plant in Institute, West Virginia.


April 23, 2009

Investigation Details:
Bayer CropScience Pesticide Waste Tank Explosion




Institute, West Virginia, April 23, 2009 - A large explosion and fire that took the lives of two workers at the Bayer CropScience (Bayer) plant last August was caused by a thermal runaway reaction during the production of an insecticide. The event likely resulted from significant lapses in chemical process safety management at the plant, U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) investigators said today in preliminary findings released at a news conference here.
http://www.chemsafety.gov/newsroom/detail.aspx?nid=268

But who needs regulations?

[ninetoes]

Accident Description
Two workers were fatally injured when a waste tank containing the pesticide methomyl violently exploded, damaging a process unit at the Bayer CropScience chemical plant in Institute, West Virginia.


April 23, 2009

Investigation Details:
Bayer CropScience Pesticide Waste Tank Explosion




Institute, West Virginia, April 23, 2009 - A large explosion and fire that took the lives of two workers at the Bayer CropScience (Bayer) plant last August was caused by a thermal runaway reaction during the production of an insecticide. The event likely resulted from significant lapses in chemical process safety management at the plant, U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) investigators said today in preliminary findings released at a news conference here.
http://www.chemsafety.gov/newsroom/detail.aspx?nid=268

But who needs regulations?

Did I misunderstand the article in the OP? I thought it said there would be tighter regulations? Ive gone back and read it several times, because the posts on this thread seem to say differently.

[snookums1]

Washington, DC, August 20, 2008 - The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced today that it is proceeding with an investigation of the causes of a recent accident at the Goodyear rubber manufacturing facility in southeast Houston, in which one employee was killed and approximately seven others were injured, including several contract workers who were exposed to hazardous anhydrous ammonia.

CSB investigators have now completed two week-long visits to the plant conducting interviews and gathering other evidence.

The accident occurred on June 11 during a maintenance operation on a heat exchanger, which used pressurized, liquid ammonia to cool chemicals that are later processed to make synthetic rubber. The rubber-making chemicals were pumped through steel tubes inside the heat exchanger, while ammonia flowed through a cylindrical steel shell that surrounded the tubes.
http://www.chemsafety.gov/newsroom/detail.aspx?nid=9

Not hard to figure out what those ammonia fumes did to the lungs of the injured.

[snookums1]

Did I misunderstand the article in the OP? I thought it said there would be tighter regulations? Ive gone back and read it several times, because the posts on this thread seem to say differently. And it is a very good thing that there will be tighter regulations. We are just pointing out the reasons for them.