(Fwd) Dioxin & Formosa Explosion?

["Charlie Cray" <ccray@dialb.greenpeace.org>]

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 UPn  12/04 1934  Blast causes minor injuries at plant POINT COMFORT,
 Texas, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- An explosion and fire has rocked a chemical plant
 along the Texas coast, causing minor injuries to 26 people. Formosa
 Plastics Corp., says the injured were treated by a medical team at the Port
Comfort plant, about 100 miles southwest of Houston, and then transported
 to area hospitals as a precautionary measure. The explosion occurred at
 8:45 a.m. today at the backside of the ethylene dichloride plant at the
Formosa Plastic complex. The company says the explosion was in either the
 crude EDC tank or in a pipeline to the tank. The fires were snuffed out  by
11 a.m.
   As a safety precaution, the entire complex was shut down and
all employees were evacuated. By 10 a.m., they began returning
to restart the operation.    The company says downwind air
monitoring showed that the level of EDC was well below
Occupational Safety and Health Administration levels for plant
employees.
   The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board says
it will investigate the accident.
   The raw material produced at the plant is used in polyvinyl
chloride resin that is a component of roofing, piping, surgeon
gloves and other products.  ---
   Copyright 1998 by United Press International.
   All rights reserved.
Charlie Cray
Greenpeace US Toxics Campaign
417 S. Dearborn Suite 420
Chicago, IL 60605
Ph: (312) 554-1027
Fx: (312) 554-1224
e-mail address: Charlie.Cray@dialb.greenpeace.org
Greenpeace International's new Toxics Web site:
http://www.greenpeace.org/~toxics
Greenpeace US Toxics NEW! (11/98) Web Site:
http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/toxics/