Essay Example on Chemical Threats in Dallas TX: 34% Refinery Risk & Growing

Introduction

Chemical threats in Dallas Texas is high as the number of chemicals based and chemical manufacturing factories increased significantly. There are chemical, manufacturing factories in the area in addition to the chemicals-based manufacturing companies. Other threats include negligent workers and poor chemical disposal and waste management practices (see figure 1, 2 and 3).

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The Chemical Threats to Dallas, Tx-Based on the TRI.

34% of the country's petroleum refineries have demonstrated continuous noncompliance. Out of the 2.6 million pounds of air pollutions, ammonia accounts for 21%, xylenes accounts for 9%, sulfuric acid 8%, n-butyl alcohol 7% (EPA, 2020). Water pollution is comprised of zinc compounds 51%, manganese compounds 18%, nitrate compounds 11%, copper 5%, and chromium compounds 4% (EPA, 2020). The top five companies by toxic release include GMC truck groups, ASH Grove, Johns Manville, Owens Corning Systems, and Exide Technologies Frisco (EPA, 2020). There are ver 424 TRI facilities, producing over 132.6milion lbs of waste

Is There a Chemical Danger?

There is a chemical danger as the Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) model score is high. There was an explosion in Texas Chemical Plant at Port Neches where 3 died (Taylor, 2020). There have also been similar incidences in the previous years where Butadiene a chemical used for making synthetic rubber leaked after an explosion. Based on the high RSEI score, there are also likely to be more similar cases

Preparedness to Evacuate Should a Release Such as Bhopal Happen

In Bhopal Indian, the magnitude of the toxic chemical release was significant and intense leading to more death and casualties. Currently, the level of preparation for disasters of such magnitudes is quite poor (Taylor, 2020). In the event of such disasters, the number of deaths would be high because there are no adequate facilities to house a population of over 30,000 people. Additionally, budgetary allocation or resources for such eventualities is quote low

The MIC (methyl isocyanate) leak at Bhopal

December 3rd of 1984 will go int the books of history as worst days in Bhopal India because of methyl isocyanate gas leaks from one of the pesticide plants in Bhopal India. The gas leaked was first noticed on December 2 as the methyl isocyanate gas continued to leak, the pressure inside the storage tank also increased. The operators had closed the vent gas scrubber that was meant for neutralizing the toxic discharges weeks before the event (Cullinan, Acquilla & Dhara, 1997).

The main cause of the leak was the faulty valve that passed one ton of water into the forty tons of methyl isocyanate. The refrigeration units that could have cooled of the MIC storage tanks were drained of all the coolant to be used in other areas. As the pressure built, the heat created by the vigorous exothermic reaction also increased causing the gas flare, of which the safety systems were damaged. When the safety valves have way, the plume of the methyl isocyanate was pushed into the morning air which was pushed by the wind into the street of Bhopal. When the people of Bhopal inhaled the gas, they suffocated (Parashar, 2010). The carcasses of human beings, animals and birds littered the street of Bhopal. The people from the pool slum colony were the most affected. The fact that the people did not know that gas that was released made it difficult to devise a response strategy as fast as was required.

The 40-ton gas leak killed over 3800 people but its morbidity and premature deaths were significant while the company dissociated itself from the legal responsibility (Cullinan, Acquilla & Dhara, 1997). Even though the company inanely reached a settlement agreement with the government and paying $470milion, the long-term health consequences of the exposure cannot be estimated or quantities (Cullinan, Acquilla & Dhara, 1997). After the accident, there has been a lot of amendment and improvement in the development and enforcement of standards of safety which also include the preventive stratus aimed at avoiding similar accidents. The country also encouraged the implementation of international standards for industrial disaster preparedness.

In the backdrop of rapid industrialization, there has been an improvement in government policies and behaviours which has significantly reduced the probabilities or major disasters. There has also been regulation aimed at managing threat to the environment which could have occurred because of poorly regulated industrial growth (Parashar, 2010). Additionally, environmental degradation has also been increasingly given priority despite the slow responsive by companies.

What Can Be Done to Enhance Survivability Should a Release Happen?

To increase survivability, the first strategy is to educate people on what to do in the event of chemical spoils. They can be taught not to panic and instead ensure that each one has a gas mask on. Secondly, infrastructures should be improving dot enabled to the evacuation of people from the affected areas at the earliest convenience. Other strategies include engaging the local communities in emergency management planning committees through which they will be given information about the potential hazards, antecedents and consequences. Finally, The Guardian, (2020) recommends that there should be further improvement in chemical industry oversight, increasing the budgets of state environmental regulators.

References

Cullinan, P., Acquilla, S., & Dhara, V. (1997). Respiratory morbidity 10 years after the Union Carbide gas leak at Bhopal: a cross-sectional survey. BMJ, 314(7077), 338-338. doi: 10.1136/bmj.314.7077.338

EPA. (2020). TRI Factsheet for Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TRI Explorer | US EPA. Retrieved 24 January 2020, from https://ofmpub.epa.gov/triexplorer/msa.html?pYear=2012&pLoc=212

Parashar, S. (2010). Bhopal Gas Disaster or Supreme Court's Disaster? SSRN Electronic Journal, 21(11). doi: 10.2139/ssrn.1651487

Taylor, E. (2020). Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Basics and Landmines | Trinity Consultants. Retrieved 24 January 2020, from https://www.trinityconsultants.com/news/federal/toxic-release-inventory-(tri)-basics-and-landmines

The Guardian. (2020). Texas: city residents urged to evacuate after chemical plant explosions. Retrieved 24 January 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/05/texas-port-neches-evacuation-air-quality-chemical-plant-explosions