Two years ago today (April 17th, 2013), a fertilizer plant explosion devastated West, Texas. Fifteen people died, including 12 volunteer firefighters. The blast demolished an apartment building and nursing home, and damaged three nearby schools. In the two years since, there have been over 350 other preventable chemical accidents.
To this day, the EPA has failed to take action to protect our communities from future preventable chemical disasters.
This is actually ridiculous.
Safer chemicals and procedures already exist. They're readily available. They're affordable. President Obama issued an executive order two years ago that called for better safety and security standards for chemical facilities. The EPA won't begin rulemaking until September 2015 and they've set no date for completion.
Advocacy groups have called for a strong national rule requiring chemical facilities to use the safest cost-effective technology available. "Preventing chemical accidents isn't rocket science," said Carli Jensen, Toxics Program Coordinator for U.S. PIRG. "Chemical facilities simply need to switch to less dangerous alternatives. Some already have."
Some plant have opted into the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Society of Chemical Manufacturers Affiliates (SOCMA)'s voluntary safety standards, but those aren't enough.
Proof: the ExxonMobil refinery explosion in Torrance, California this year; the deadly leak at DuPont's LaPorte, Texas chemical plant in 2014; the over 350 other chemical accidents that have occurred #sinceWestTX.
President Obama called switching to safer chemicals and procedures "common sense steps" to keep our communities safe. Why is the EPA still mulling this over?
The EPA should work quickly to set rules that protect us from chemical disasters.
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