Foul Odor Blanketing (NO) Metro Area Is Coming from Dow Chemical Plant

[MountainLaurel]

I'm posting what at first glance might appear to be a local story in one of the bigger forums because I think it illustrates (a) how frequently these sorts of spills can be, (b) how little information is released to the public, (c) how close we can be to disaster, and (d) how many people can be affected by one incident. Whatever is going on is affecting an area probably 40 miles across. I noticed the smell when I let my dogs outside and worried that my A/C was about to explode. My officemate, who lives 20 miles to the east, figured it was just another incident at the chemical plants near her house (apparently, weird smells in her area are fairly common, and they almost never receive information about what happened). Our boss, meanwhile, who lives a few miles to the north and west of me, thought that the smell was related to the roof she had replaced last week. Until one of us mentioned it in the litany of other crap that's gone wrong (it's been a bad morning), none of us thought to check the news, thinking it was only our area affected. I bolded the text below, because that's the line that scares the hell out of me. What is it, and at what level exactly will it be dangerous? At the levels it's at now, is it dangerous to the elderly, to pregnant women, to children? Is this why I have a headache today? How about my dogs? So many unanswered questions, and how often does this scene play out in towns across the country?

The strong chemical-like odor blanketing the metro area this morning is coming from the Dow Chemical Plant in Hahnville, according St. Charles Parish emergency officials.

The St. Charles Parish website says Dow has identified the odor and is currently working to reduce and eliminate it. Company officials are working with the St. Charles Parish Dept. of Emergency Preparedness to provide any protective measures to the community.

"It's not toxic at the levels that it's at right now, but it is noxious," said St. Charles Parish spokeswoman Renee Allemand Simpson. People may experience headaches, dizziness and vomiting, she said.

For residents who live near the plant, St. Charles Parish has opened a shelter at Landry School in Hahnville, near the St. Charle Parish courthouse. Only those who live along River Road in between Old Crawfish Plant and Hwy. 3142 may seek shelter there. Deputies controlling access to the shelters will check residents IDs.

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/new_orleans_firefighters_worki.html

[MountainLaurel]

1. Update: the chemical is ethyl acrylate

Which may or may not be a carcinogen, depending on which source you consult.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. Let me guess.

Source 1, Dow: Not a carcinogen.

Source 2, any cell: Carcinogen.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. I was about to post it can't be NO (nitrous oxide) ...

then realized you meant NO, LA. :blush:

on edit: What I'm sure they meant to say is that it's not LETHAL at the levels present. Obviously it's TOXIC, or people wouldn't be having headaches and vomiting -- they're reacting to poisoning at sub-lethal doses. Their wording makes it sound like it's completely harmless (except for headaches, dizziness, and vomiting :eyes: ) below a lethal dose.

[JohnWxy]

4. Nothing to worry about until they're in the ground.

[DeLaroche]

5. NO, LA stinks?

How can you tell i fthere's a new stink in New Orleans? It's easily the smelliest city I've ever been to. Always has been. Of course, I'm always in the Quarter.