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Formosa Plastics (288), Baton Rouge
Releases of Ethylene dichloride
| LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date |
Point Source(s) | Notes | Amount of Release |
| 83058 2005-10-12 | Crude ethylene dichloride line | Cause: A leak developed in an eight-inch crude ethylene dichloride line. Followup: Yes Notes: The line was valved out and taken out of service. It was estimated that less than five pounds of Ethylene Dichloride was released to the atmosphere. | Less than five pound |
| 92822 2006-12-22 | Column reboiler in Unit NE 205B | Cause: There was a power failure and the plant went down due to rain cooling down the equipment. A leak was found on the head of the HCL column reboiler in Unit NE 205B. Followup: No Notes: At the time of the SPOC report, maintenance was preparing to tighten up the bottom of the reboiler. Amount of Ethylene dichloride and Vinyl chloride released is unknown. | Unknown amount |
| 92238 2006-11-27 | NC 201 stripper column | Cause: There was a 1/8 in. pinhole leak on the NC 201 stripper column, which released the two chemicals to the air. Followup: No Notes: The refinery blocked the leaking section of piping and isolated the column to stop the release. The SPOC report states that the refinery expected to exceed RQ for vinyl chloride, and possibly also exceeded RQ for ethylene dichloride. LABB's file only contains the SPOC report and no other documents. | |
| 91408 2006-10-16 | 12-inch flange | Cause: A bad gasket caused a leak from a 12-inch flange. Followup: No Notes: The equipment was valved out to stop the leak. The chemical was contained in a dike area and recovered. Amount of Ethylene Dichloride released is unknown. The release was below the reportable quantity of 100 pounds per 24 hours. | |
| 90774 2006-09-21 | One-inch flange | Cause: The refinery reported a small release from a one-inch flange because of a gasket or flange leak. Followup: No Notes: At the time of the SPOC report, the refinery planned to depressurize the furnace and take the equipment out of service. This was estimated to take about 10 minutes. The release was sprayed with water so the vapors were knocked to the ground. Amount of ethylene dichloride released is unknown. | |
| 89083 2006-07-06 | Six-inch line leading to the C Furnace. | Cause: There was a pinhole leak on the six-inch line leading to the C Furnace. Followup: Notes: The SPOC report states that the refinery planned to shut down the furnace and isolate the line. LABB's file contains only the SPOC report and no other documents. Amount of chemical released is unknown. | |
| 86724 2006-03-24 | Reactor shell on NR301C | Cause: Hole in the reactor shell on NR301C. Followup: No Notes: Shut down shell NR301C and secured it. Amount of ethylene dichloride released is unknown. | |
| 85732 2006-02-09 | No information given | Cause: A sump located in the northwest quadrant of the concrete-lined tank farm containment area was cleaned out during sump pump replacement. A clear liquid containing sodium hydroxide, ethylene dichloride, and vinyl chloride accumulated in the sump after cleanout. Followup: No Notes: The facility initiated a corrective action plan to pump out and neutralize sump contents. The liquid was sampled and found to contain 1.3% sodium hydroxide, 1.95 ppm ethylene dichloride and 1.9 ppm vinyl chloride. Investigation included activities to de-inventory a nearby casutic storage tank, T-83A for inspection. | |
| 93665 2007-02-01 | NR 301B | Cause: Had a leak on NR 301B. Valved out of service. The equipment was completely down at 2300 hours. Followup: No Notes: Amount of Ethylene dichloride released is unknown. | |
| 110143 2008-10-16 | 1/2" bleed valve | Cause: 1/2" bleed valve open and potential for reportable quantity to have been exceeded Followup: No Notes: No information given. | |
| 107664 2008-07-31 | NP 110 CND Recovery pump | Cause: A patch on a line was leaking slowly. Coming from NP 110 CND recovery pump. Followup: No Notes: Someone was sent to isolate and patch the release. Amount of ethylene dichloride, hydrochloric acid and vinyl chloride released is unknown. LDEQ report indicates that a written report was received 8/8/08, but that report is not included in LABB's file. | |
| 106983 2008-07-03 | Discharge pump | Cause: A pinhole leak developed on a discharge pump, but the cause of the leak was unknown. Followup: No Notes: The release was stopped by valving out the equipment and ceasing use. Amount of Vinyl Chloride and Ethylene Dichloride released is unknown. | |
| 106814 2008-06-27 | reboiler | Cause: Steam was lost throughout the plant, which caused the reboiler to cool down quickly, which caused the release from a gasket leak on the reboiler. Followup: No Notes: The release was secured when the steam came back up. Late notification because "they were just tied up." Amount of Vinyl Chloride and Ethylene Dichloride released is unknown. LDEQ report indicates that LDEQ received written report on 7/8/08, but that report is not included in LABB's file. | |
| 105531 2008-05-11 | Quench column NC201C | Cause: There was a flange leak on on the transition line to quench column NC201C. Followup: No Notes: The equipment was shut down, and the pressure was removed. Information later revealed that these were fugitive emissions associated with a permitted source. | |
| 105529 2008-05-11 | Reactor NR301A | Cause: The reactor NR301A was over-pressured, which caused the relief valve to lift. Followup: No Notes: No information given. | |
| 105120 2008-04-26 | Quench filter pump | Cause: There was a pinhole leak on a quench filter pump. Followup: No Notes: The leak was isolated, and troubleshooting for repairs was initiated. | |
| 104120 2008-03-24 | column | Cause: Leak from the bottom of a column and EDC leak. The cause of high pressure is unknown. High pressure caused steam to trip and column temperature went down causing expansion which allowed EDC to leak from the seals to the bottom of the column. Followup: No Notes: Secured. | |
| 116504 2009-07-16 | Cause: There were two simultaneous releases when a pressure relief valve released on startup. Each release lasted 30 seconds. Followup: No Notes: To correct the problem the process was adjusted and the steam pressure lowered. Amount of vinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, and hyrdogen chloride released is unknown. | ||
| 116081 2009-06-28 | 20" manway gasket | Cause: Gasket leak on a 20" manway gasket on the HCL column. Followup: No Notes: no information given | |
| 115373 2009-05-30 | Reactor NR301A | Cause: Reactor NR301A developed a pinhole leak on a "hard blind." The plant personnel could not pick up the ethylene dichloride with dredger tubes adjacent to the reactor. Followup: No Notes: The facility expressed plans to cap and reinforce the "hard blind." | 10.0 pounds |
| 114272 2009-04-17 | NE200A | Cause: Top head gasket on NE200A developed a leak. Followup: No Notes: Tightened the leak as soon as possible. | |
| 126824 2010-10-02 | 1/2 inch valve from V2000 C | Cause: 1/2 inch flow transmitted from V2000 C starting leakin from a 1/2 inch valve resulting in the release of unknown quantities of ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride, and a hydrochloric acid mixture. Followup: No Notes: The valve was isolated to stop the leak. Amount of ethylene dichloride, hydrochloric acid mixture, and ethylene dichloride released is unknown but below reportable quantity. | |
| 126823 2010-10-02 | condenser to coolant tower | Cause: Release of ethyl dichloride and vinyl chloride due to a condenser leak to the coolant tower. Followup: No Notes: Retesting coolant tower. Amount of ethyl dichloride and vinyl chloride released is unknown. | |
| 121038 2010-01-26 | 1/2" line | Cause: 1/2" line broke and had to isolate it to stop the release of EDC. Subsequent calculations indicated that the RQ amount of the material was not exceeded. Followup: No Notes: Secured within 30 minutes. | |
| 134586 2011-10-13 | furnace system of pump NP202F, system NR201C | Cause: Unknown quantity of vinyl chloride, hydrochloric acid, and ethylene dichloride.
A seal blew out on the pump on the furnace system of pump NP202F, system NR201C. Followup: No Notes: The leak was reported as secured at the time of notification, 8 minutes after being discovered. | |
| 131648 2011-06-06 | NC102B Light Ends Column | Cause: A hole in the NC102B-Light ends Column is where the ethylene dichloride gas is leaking from. Followup: No Notes: Leak is on going | |
| 137128 2012-02-13 | piping | Cause: Release of hydrochloric acid, ethylene dichloride, and vinyl chloride from a pinhole leak found in piping. Followup: No Notes: Sprayed water on leak to suppress vapor release. No fires, injuries, or evacuations. No letter from the chemical plant. SPOC report states that the vinyl chloride might be close to the RQ. No written notification, only SPOC and verbal report. | 50.0 pounds |
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