health
US chemical tank disasters remain rare despite recent incidents, experts say
Tragedy in Washington and near-miss in California cast in sharp relief the risk of chemical spills and explosions
TL;DR
- A near-miss with a chemical tank in Garden Grove, California, highlighted the potential risks of industrial hazards.
- Despite being surrounded by hazardous chemicals, major chemical disasters are rare in the US, with only five major incidents investigated by the CSB in 2023 and 2024.
- Modern safety standards, influenced by the 1984 Bhopal disaster, have led to stringent regulations for industrial sites and storage tanks.
- When chemical disasters do occur, they can have severe consequences, as seen in the recent explosion at a paper mill in Longview, Washington, which killed 11 people.
- Experts compare the risk of chemical disasters to airline crashes: unlikely but potentially horrific when they happen.
- Information on hazardous chemicals stored in local areas is available at local fire departments.