Monday, December 1, 2008 - Vol. VII Issue 12

Technically Speaking
What Chemical is That?
By Dr. John Nordin

Picture this hypothetical event. Responders enter a vacant/abandoned building and discover a room containing many different chemicals stored in bottles and packages on shelves. There are also a few 55-gallon drums, 5 and 10 gallon containers, and sacks of various materials on the floor. The containers and sacks appear to have labels, but some of the labels are obscure or have minimal identification. There is no obvious indication of illegal activity other than the possible improper storage of incompatible chemicals in the room and possible violation of community-right-to-know regulations. The owner(s) of the chemicals are unknown or cannot be located. The area is secured, and specialists are brought in to try and figure out what is there in order that a plan for removal and safe disposal may be developed. Caution must be exercised by anyone entering the area as some chemicals can form explosive peroxides or undergo destructive polymerization reactions rupturing the container on long-term storage, and it is not yet known what chemicals are in the containers. What chemicals are in the room, and what are the hazards?(FULL STORY)

View this Month's Photos
More Humor from the desk of our own Barb Coulthard
Monthly Humor (FULL STORY)

Wyoming Photography
Late Year Pictures (FULL STORY)

Press Release
Call for Reports (FULL STORY)

PEAC-WMD Profile
An incident from Wabash county, IL
(FULL STORY)

Tourism in the West
History of Oil in Wyoming(FULL STORY)

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