IN THE NEWS RECENTLY• NEW RADIOACTIVE WATER LEAK AT JAPAN'S FUKUSHIMA

DAIICHI PLANT

• 100 METRIC TONS OF WATER

• LEAKED FROM HOLDING TANK

• SHUT OFF FLOW OF WATER INTO THIS TANK

• SCHOOL LUNCH SUPPLIER CLOSED BY USDA REOPENS; SOME HOT POCKETS RECALLED

• CENTRAL VALLEY MEAT CO SUSPENDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BECAUSE OF "INSANITARY CONDITIONS“

• NESTLE ISSUED A RECALL OF HOT-POCKETS

WEST VIRGINIA CHEMICAL SPILL

MARIANA GAMA

WEST VIRGINIA COAL AND CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

United States Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics (December 2013)

THE FACTS ABOUT THE SPILL

• FACILITY OWNED BY FREEDOM INDUSTRIES

• “FULL SERVICE PRODUCER OF SPECIALTY CHEMICALS FOR THE MINING, STEEL, AND CEMENT INDUSTRIES”

• STORING 4-METHYLCYCLOHEXANE METHANOL

• CHEMICAL SPILL IN ELK RIVER, WEST VIRGINIA

• LEAKED FROM THE STORAGE TANK AND PAST THEIR SECONDARY CONTAINMENT INTO THE SOIL AND WATER

• EPA INSPECTOR DISCOVERED LEAK AT 11:00AM ON JANUARY 9TH

• DO-NOT-USE BAN PUT IN PLACE JANUARY 10TH

• POLYGLYCOL ETHERS REPORTED TO ALSO HAVE SPILLED

Map of areas affected by spill Image of facility and its proximity to Elk River

4-METHYLCYCLOHEXANE METHANOL (MCHM)

• USED FOR COAL WASHING

• LICORICE SMELL

• LITTLE INFORMATION AVAILABLE

• LOW WATER SOLUBILITY

• CIS/TRANS ISOMERS

MSDS INFO

COAL WASHING

• PROCESS TO REMOVE IMPURITIES FROM COAL BEFORE IT IS BURNED

• WATER IS NOT ENOUGH

• CHEMICAL, SUCH AS 4-METHYLCYCLOHEXANE METHANOL, IS NECESSARY FOR BETTER SEPARATION

HOW MUCH WATER DOES ONE PERSON NEED?

• 1 GALLON PER PERSON PER DAY

• VARIES DEPENDING ON AGE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, HEALTH CONDITION ETC.

THE CLEAN-UP

• DO NOT USE BAN

• FLUSH SYSTEM AND ADDING CARBON

• CDC PUTS OUT 1 PPM THRESHOLD

• ALICYCLIC PRIMARY ALCOHOLS AND ALICYCLIC CARBOHYDRATES : LD-50 VALUES RANGED FROM 890 TO 5700 MG/KG FOR RATS

• CYCLOHEXANEDIMETHANOL: LD50 3,200 MG/KG FOR RATS

• CURRENTLY: LEVELS OF 0.5-1.6 PPB

INSPECTIONS AT THE FACILITY

• INSPECTED IN 2012 TO DETERMINE IF PROCESSES HAD CHANGED AND IF NEW AIR QUALITY PERMITS WE NEEDED

• INSPECTED IN 2010 AFTER AN ODOR COMPLAINT

• PRIOR TO THESE SITE HAD NOT BEEN SUBJECT TO STATE OR FEDERAL INSPECTION SINCE 1991

• EPA REPORT ON THE FACILITY SHOWED NO VIOLATIONS IN THE LAST 3 YEARS

REGULATIONS IN WEST VIRGINIA

• WEST VIRGINIA LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE INSPECTIONS FOR CHEMICAL STORAGE FACILITIES

• ONLY FOR PRODUCTION FACILITIES

• FACILITY REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN TANKS

• FACILITY HAD THE ONLY PERMIT IT WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE

• INDUSTRIAL STORM WATER PERMIT

DISCUSSION

• GOOD PRACTICES

• 1 PPM THRESHOLD

• STRICTER REGULATIONS

REFERENCES

• HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2014/01/10/HEALTH/WEST-VIRGINIA-CHEMICAL/INDEX.HTML

• HTTP://WWW.INCHEM.ORG/DOCUMENTS/JECFA/JECMONO/V50JE10.HTM

• HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2014/01/13/US/WEST-VIRIGINA-CHEMICAL-CONTAMINATION/INDEX.HTML

• HTTP://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2014/01/11/US/WEST-VIRGINIA-CHEMICAL-SPILL.HTML?_R=0

• HTTP://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2014/01/13/US/CRITICS-SAY-CHEMICAL-SPILL-HIGHLIGHTS-LAX-WEST-VIRGINIA-REGULATIONS.HTML

• HTTP://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2009/04/22/US/22CHEMICAL.HTML?_R=1&

• HTTP://WWW.WVMINESAFETY.ORG/WVCOALFACTS.HTM

• HTTP://WWW.BLS.GOV/EAG/EAG.WV.HTM

• HTTP://NEWS.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/NEWS/2014/01/140110-4-METHYLCYCLOHEXANE-METHANOL-CHEMICAL-SPILL-WEST-VIRGINIA-SCIENCE/

• HTTP://WWW.WVCOMMERCE.ORG/BUSINESS/INDUSTRIES/ADVANCEDENERGY/DEFAULT.ASPX

• HTTP://WWW.WVCOMMERCE.ORG/BUSINESS/INDUSTRIES/CHEMPOLY/DEFAULT.ASPX

• HTTP://WWW.FREEDOM-INDUSTRIES.COM/ABOUT.HTML

• HTTP://THINKPROGRESS.ORG/CLIMATE/2014/02/09/3196981/CHEMICAL-SPILL-TIMELINE/

• HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2014/02/19/HEALTH/WEST-VIRGINIA-WATER/INDEX.HTML

• HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2014/02/19/WORLD/ASIA/JAPAN-FUKUSHIMA-DAIICHI-WATER-LEAK/INDEX.HTML

• HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2014/02/19/HEALTH/HOT-POCKETS-RECALL/INDEX.HTML?SR=TW021914HOTPOCKETS1030A