Dow plant leaks for second time in Hahnville

Buried under the news of Dow’s chemical leak and cleanup and more people being hospitalized for demonstrating symptoms of exposure to ethyl acrylate, WDSU reports MORE chemical vapors were released during cleanup. Pockets of the ethyl acrylate were again released, adding to the existing smell blanketing parts of St. Charles Parish. In their report on the cleanup taking place at the Dow-Hahnville plant, WDSU mentions

Workers at the plant have been trying since Tuesday to neutralize the chemical and move it to sealed containers. It was during that process that more was released.

“This morning what happened is some of these small amounts of EA that are let out that did not neutralize became exposed to the environment,” said Rodney Mallet, of the Department of Environmental Quality.

Officials at the plant said the process could play out for several more days, but no one would commit to a timeline.

To say this is unacceptable is an understatement as it still is unclear just how much damage is done through exposure to this hazardous chemical. More news will be released, surely, as the week goes on.