by The Working Group on Community Right-to-Know

Across the country, more than 15,000 facilities report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that they use large amounts of extremely hazardous chemicals. The law requires these facilities to disclose potential chemical accidents, from the most-likely emergencies to a worst-case scenario. Despite reporting large vulnerability zones and populations at risk, few chemical-using plants have announced measurable goals or timelines to reduce the size of the area at risk from a potential worst-case chemical fire or spill. Below are basic questions for companies and a hazard reduction hierarchy of approaches for reducing the size of a company's vulnerability zone.

Hierarchy of Approaches to Reduce Vulnerability Zones

[1] Inherent Safety reduces or eliminates the possibility of a chemical fire or spill, as the first resort. What you don't have can't leak. For example, will the company substitute safer chemicals? Cut dangerous storage and shipping? Use less hazardous conditions (e.g., neutral pressures or temperatures)? Involve workers in systems of safety analyses? Develop new micro-processing to eliminate large-scale inventories? Establish a written policy for new construction?

Example: Ohio Citizen Action and the local community pressed American Electric Power (Cheshire, Ohio) to select a urea-based pollution control system rather than large-scale storage of ammonia that would have endangered the surrounding community.

[2] Add-on Controls reduce the likelihood of a chemical fire or spill. Unlike inherent safety, which may improve efficiency, add-on controls always cost money. For example, will the company install secondary containment buildings? Use leak detectors and automatic shutoffs? Add remote emergency shutdown capabilities? Improve site security?

Example: The Safer Neighborhoods Campaign persuaded Cincinnati Specialties (of Cincinnati, Ohio) to build an enclosure to contain any accidental releases of chlorine.

[3] Emergency Planning mitigates the consequences of a chemical fire or spill where add-on controls may fail. For example, has the company established alert and warning systems? Prepared an emergency plan? Maintained response equipment? Sponsored hazardous materials training? Planned employee evacuation routes?

Example: Many companies work with Local Emergency Planning Committees.

[4] Buffer Zones keep unavoidably hazardous industries away from places where people work, study, live, and play. For example, will the company buy out neighbors? Support land use planning? Move to a safer area?

Example: Louisiana companies bought out homeowners in Morrisonville and Reville Town, La.

Diagram is from the Safe Hometowns Guide by Sanford Lewis

[TOP]