More than a third of risky U.S. chemical facilities face threats exacerbated by global warming, according to a new report.
Dangerous accidents at chemical facilities are not uncommon: When two chemicals were unintentionally mixed at a processing plant in Atchison, Kansas, in 2016, they produced a stream of chlorine gas and other compounds that sent 140 people in the surrounding area to hospitals. Two years earlier, the accidental release of methyl mercaptan, a toxic compound, killed four workers at a DuPont facility in La Porte, Texas. Human error, equipment malfunctions, and natural hazards can cause the release of dangerous chemicals threatening the life and health of workers and residents who live close to facilities like these. Chemical companies are required by the Environmental Protection Agency's Risk Management Plan rule, or RMP rule, to develop programs that help reduce the risk of accidents. There are 10,420 facilities nationwide that are required to submit plans under the rule. A growing threat to these facilities is coming into focus: climate change. More than 3,200 of these sites are in areas where natural hazards like storm surges, wildfires, and flooding are being exacerbated by global warming, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, the U.S. Congress' investigative arm. Climate-fueled hazards can threaten the safety of operations at chemical and industrial facilities in several ways. Flooding can inundate pipelines and equipment, causing them to burst or leak chemicals. Wildfires can cause sudden power shutdowns, which may result in flammable products catching fire and unsafe operations. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How Historically, natural hazards…