Authorities in Texas have identified two workers tragically killed earlier this week in connection with a deadly chemical release at a LyondellBasell plant near La Porte.
Contractors Died While Performing Maintenance at LyondellBasell La Porte Complex
According to the Harris County Medical Examiners Office, the latest chemical catastrophe inflicted upon southeast Texas claimed the lives of a 32-year-old man from Arlington and a 36-year-old Oklahoma man. Both were contractors performing maintenance at the LyondellBasell La Porte Complex located at 1515 Miller Cut-Off Road.
They were apparently close friends and had worked together for years.
The men died on the evening of July 27th, when a burst cap allowed 100,000 pounds of acetic acid and other chemicals to leak from a pressurized line, spilling chemicals and exposing workers to an associated vapor cloud.
2 Workers Remain Hospitalized in Critical and Good Condition
Acetic acid is a colorless liquid with a vinegar-like odor that can burn the skin and is toxic if inhaled. At the time, the acid was mixed with other compounds, including solvents and methyl iodide, a chemical that can cause fluid buildup in the lungs if too much is inhaled.
Thirty other workers were taken to the hospital for injuries that ranged from minor to serious.
As of Wednesday, 28 had been released, and two remained hospitalized in critical and good condition. Many of those released from the hospital continue to deal with vomiting, respiratory issues, and other health problems likely associated with exposure to the toxic chemicals emitted during the incident, including some workers who have been referred to specialists.
LyondellBasell La Porte Complex Has History of Environmental Violations
Although the LyondellBasell plant in La Porte has not had any recent workplace safety violations, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has fined the facility five times in the past decade for various pollution violations:
- $17,175 in 2011 for an excessive emissions event involving vinyl acetate monomer.
- $7,125 in 2013 for failing to prevent unauthorized emissions. The TCEQ said the Clean Air Act violations in the Vinyl Acetate Monomers Unit stemmed from bad maintenance practices.
- $95,382 in 2014 for improperly monitoring potential acetic acid leakage for more than three years.
- $8,176 in 2018 for failing to prevent unauthorized emissions. Once again, the facility was accused of Clean Air Act violations resulting from poor maintenance practices in the Vinyl Acetate Monomers Unit.
- $109,903 in 2020 for violating the Texas Water Code by allegedly releasing more chemicals than allowed and not properly testing water for issues.
In 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered LyondellBasell to pay $1.25 million and clean up seven plants, including the La Porte Complex. According to a Consent Decree, the company agreed to extra safety measures to minimize “emissions from the polymer section in a manner consistent with good management practices.”
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