EPA: Prevent Another West, Texas Explosion
In April, the West Fertilizer chemical plant exploded, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 200. The blast was caused by a fire that detonated 30 tons of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer component that the EPA has still not classified as "extremely hazardous."
The ammonium nitrate that proved to be so deadly in West was being stored in combustible wooden bins inside a warehouse that was also combustible and lacked even a working sprinkler system. Shoddy storage like this likely contributed to the fire and explosion's intensity. If the EPA had acted faster, perhaps the lives of more than a dozen people would have been saved.
The Chemical Safety Board recommended that the EPA adopt stricter regulations for ammonium nitrate more than a decade ago. Tell the EPA that it's high time they did just that.
We, the undersigned, are concerned that the EPA has still not adopted a 2002 Chemical Safety Board (CSB) recommendation to classify reactive chemicals as "extremely hazardous" under the General Duties clause of Clean Air Act. Reactive chemicals include ammonium nitrate, the fertilizer ingredient responsible for the deadly plant explosion in West, Texas last April.
Facilities dealing with "extremely hazardous" chemicals are required to have an EPA-approved plan for dealing with them. Following the 2002 CSB recommendation would help avoid disasters in thousands of facilities across the U.S.
We respectfully urge you to establish a timeframe for classifying and regulating hazardous chemicals to prevent future tragedies. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
