The Chemical Industry That Lobbied For Lower Regulations Is Now Poisoning Houston

[CousinIT]

Dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey is bad enough.

Now we learn Texas has another problem–chemical poisoning.

Thursday morning, the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, about 25 miles northeast of Houston, experienced two explosions, releasing organic peroxides into the air, sending at least ten sheriff’s deputies to the hospital.

And in Houston, trying to recover from one of the worst hurricanes in Texas’ history, residents are dealing with a similar problem as Crosby.

Refineries and chemical plants are reporting that because of hurricane damage or preventative closures, they have released more than 2,700 tons of pollutants into the atmosphere.

Ozone levels in southwest Houston were nearly three times higher than the national standard on Friday.

The fact this happened should not be surprising considering many Republican Texas lawmakers who accepted tens of millions in campaign contributions from chemical industry lobbyists, like the American Chemistry Council, fought regulations designed to improve factory safety procedures.

Those regulations were supposed to take effect this year; instead the Trump administration stopped them.

http://www.liberalamerica.org/2017/09/02/chemical-industry-poisoning-houston/

RELATED: https://upload.democraticunderground.com/10029547072

[Boomerproud]

1. I guess 45 is "getting things done" isn't he.

I hope the media keeps a eye out for the consequences of all his de-regulation, and this one in particular.