  |
|
|
Department of Ecology News Release - Aug. 21, 2000
00-165
YAKIMA - A Union Gap farm chemical distributor has been fined $23,000 by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) for an Aug. 4 spill on Interstate 82 near the Yakima Avenue overpass that exposed passersby to the agricultural pesticide Guthion.
G. S. Long Co. was issued the penalty for improperly handling and reporting the spill that occurred when a 20-pound box of the pesticide fell from one of the company's trucks, creating a cloud of dust passed through by a number of vehicles.
Guthion is an extremely toxic insecticide that may be fatal if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
"People driving through the dust cloud were unnecessarily exposed to the chemical, and some later reported skin rashes and sore throats as a result of the exposure," explained Dick Granberg, an investigator with Ecology's hazardous-waste program. "If the driver had taken proper precautions and immediately reported the spill to 9-1-1 dispatch, the chance for exposure would have been greatly reduced."
An Ecology litter crew supervisor who witnessed the spill reported that the driver of the truck stopped to readjust his load and then left the scene.
The Department of Transportation temporarily closed the interstate to traffic while Ecology's spill response team and the Yakima Fire Department worked to neutralize and wash the chemical from the roadway.
Under the state's dangerous-waste rules, people responsible for spilling hazardous substances and those transporting such materials are required to know what to do to protect human health and the environment, and to report spills in a timely manner.
Also investigating are the state departments of Labor and Industries (L&I), Agriculture and Health.
"It's important for employers to have emergency response plans in place to ensure the safety of their workers in these types of situations," noted Wil Lohman, an L&I industrial hygienist.
Since the incident, the company has taken steps to help prevent a similar spill from occurring by enclosing the truck bed and updating its emergency procedures.
G.S. Long Co. may apply for relief from the penalty within 15 days, or appeal the penalty to the Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
Contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
