A July 2024 chemical leak in Springfield, Massachusetts, spotlighted the need for urgent action and notification when hazardous substances are spilled.
What's happening?
Workers at Astro Chemicals were transferring a sodium hydroxide-based solution when a valve was left open, according to WWLP 22 News in February. What was initially thought to be a smaller leak turned out to amount to up to 3,200 gallons spilling onto the soil and crushed-stone ground cover of a railway trackbed.
Regulations require that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection be notified "within two hours of becoming aware of a spill, if the spill exceeds 50 pounds," the local station reported. WWLP said that the agency wasn't called until the next day.
"When a reportable quantity of hazardous material is released, responsible parties are required to immediately notify their local fire department and MassDEP," Michael Gorski, director of the agency's office in Springfield, told the outlet.
Why are both fast action and notification important?
Sodium hydroxide is a potent substance used for multiple purposes, according to the Virginia Health Department. It can be used to make soap and clean wood. It's also found in household cleaning products. The chemical can cause burns and blindness, while powder forms have the potential to cause lung damage if inhaled.
Sodium hydroxide is just one example of the chemicals that are transported around the country and all over the world every day. Most reach their destinations without incident.
But spills of dangerous cargo can lead to disaster and require quick mitigation from trained experts. A 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, for example, unleashed toxic vinyl chloride. Air, water, and soil pollution fallout will continue to be studied long after.
Last year in Maine, one of the country's largest spills of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — chemicals found in household items like non-stick cookware and also known as PFAS or "forever chemicals" — occurred at the decommissioned Brunswick Naval Air Station. A malfunctioning fire suppression system sent about 51,000 gallons of foam containing PFAS into the water. A "do not eat" order for local fish was issued, among other precautions, according to The Guardian.
In Maine and in Massachusetts, watchdog groups and officials called for better communication about the contamination events. Fast action from trained professionals is key to safe containment, but experts and the public also need to receive information in a timely manner, guided by regulations, to ensure strategic cleanup, effective monitoring, thorough follow-up, and trust.
What can be done to help?
Immediate reports to the proper authorities can limit damage from hazardous spills.
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Yes — always 💯 "This assures timely response, assessment, mitigation, and cleanup to protect both the public and the environment," Gorski told WWLP, regarding the Springfield case.
Astro received a $25,000 penalty from the environmental agency. $2,500 of that penalty was suspended, to the company's credit, for a speedy cleanup on its part, per the local report.
Becoming informed about the plans and procedures in your community regarding potential environmental hazards is a good way to make sure measures are in place to prevent and mitigate pollution. Communities can also come together to support pro-environment policies to safeguard local ecosystems and the water systems that connect us all from chemical contamination.
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