LINK

[Fair Use: For Education and Research Purpose Only]

Chemical spill at plant to be probed

Friday, February 25, 2000 By ADEEL HASSAN

SPRINGFIELD  A flammable, but fairly non-toxic material commonly used in skin-care products and perfume, spilled yesterday morning at a chemical plant in the Indian Orchard section of the city.

An estimated 1,000 gallons of ethyl acetate spilled just after 10:45 a.m. at Solutia Inc., a former subsidiary of the Monsanto Corp., at 730 Worcester St.

The spill was safely contained, according to officials from Solutia, Inc., the Springfield Fire Department, and the State Department of Environmental Protection. The cause of the spill is under investigation.

There were no injuries and no physical or environmental damage reported.

"We had a release of a 'haz mat' (hazardous material); however, that release was contained on site, with no impact on our neighbors and no injuries," said Roy P. Hart, an environmental protection supervisor at Solutia.

"Our on-site fire brigade and haz mat crew responded immediately, while the Fire Department remained in standby mode. The spill was contained on paved areas and floated into our treatment system. We will continue to evaluate any adverse impact."

The Springfield Fire Department responded with its own hazardous materials team: two engines, a ladder truck, a vehicle, and a trailer.

"Solutia was already handling it, and their (chemical) readings stood low," said Fire Department spokesman Bernard Welz.

"We remained in standby mode and were there for any backup. It was a Level 2 haz-mat spill."

Welz said that the classification meant that the material spilled was hazardous enough that there could be a problem. The team was at Solutia from 11:09 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

John S. Bourcier, an environmental engineer with the State Department of Environmental Protection, was also immediately on scene.

"It seems fairly minor to us," he said, following an assessment of the spill.

"There was a containment area underneath, and anything that was spread went to (Solutia's) wastewater-treatment plant before it gets to Bondi's" regional wastewater treatment plant. "Nothing got into the environment."

===================================

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 25, 2000