Two separate incidents where Baton Rouge-area industrial facilities accidentally released toxic chemicals will be investigated by a federal agency, which could lead to safety suggestions instead of fines, Louisiana Illuminator reports.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board announced it is investigating the release of hydrogen fluoride and chlorine at the Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies facility in January 2023, as well as the July explosion at the Dow facility in Plaquemine that released ethylene oxide.
No one was seriously injured or killed in either events but both involved the release of highly toxic chemicals that could have put workers and nearby residents at serious risk under different circumstances, CSB Chair Steve Owens said in the board’s announcement.
The Plaquemine Dow plant had 10 emergency incidents in the four years prior to the July accident. Half occurred at the facility’s Glycol 2 unit where the explosion caused a fire that burned for nearly two days. Nearby residents were ordered to shelter.
