SABIC Innovative Chemicals is faulted for September leak
SABIC Innovative Chemicals failed to follow its own safety procedures before the Sept. 1 leak of nearly 16,000 pounds of toxic styrene gas from a rail car at their plant in Selkirk, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.
The company received a “notice of violation” from the DEC after an investigation of the chemical leak that prompted road closures and a shelter-inplace order for the surrounding area. According to DEC, the SABIC plant, which uses the styrene to make plastic, failed to follow procedures when it stored on its property since May a loaded rail tanker car that had a frozen valve.
Officials said that is what led to the release of about 15,825 pounds of styrene vapor, a release that could be smelled by people miles away. The gas is considered toxic and poses a fire and explosion danger if allowed to heat up while under pressure. Although stabilizers are added to tanker cars full of styrene, those additives can wear out over time.
Once the leak was detected, firefighters and state officials began cooling the tanker car with water to keep it from rupturing.
The notice says the load of styrene monomer was not stored and monitored in accordance with SABIC’S procedures for safely handling styrene.
“SABIC'S failure to properly store and monitor the unloaded tank car shipment
resulted in the unauthorized styrene release which caused odor impacts throughout the nearby community. The styrene release also resulted in the activation of State and Local Emergency Response Teams and the issuance of a shelter-in-place order for the public.”
DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos on Thursday said the investigation is not over. Potential fines would be calculated after the investigation is complete. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating.
A SABIC spokesperson could not be reached for immediate comment.
The danger with styrene, according to experts, is its toxicity and its combustibility when under heat and pressure. While relatively rare, styrene fires and large explosions have occurred in other parts of the country and overseas over the years.
A 1994 styrene explosion in a Belpre, Ohio, plant caused a widespread evacuation and sent flames 600 feet in the air. Three
people died and 1,700 were evacuated. And in May of this year thousands of people near Visakhapatnam, India were evacuated during a styrene leak from a factory operated by LG Poly
mers. Hundreds who lived very close to the factory were hospitalized and 12 people died.