Indiana tops the list identifying chemical dangers
Posted: Apr 17, 2015 7:10 AM EST | Updated: Apr 17, 2015 7:47 AM EST
Indiana tops the states listed in the new report identifying often unknown chemical dangers.
Today marks the second anniversary of the deadly explosion of a fertilizer facility in West, Texas. 15 people were killed in the explosion and 10 of the people who died were voluntary fire fighters who responded to the call. At the time the fire fighters weren't aware of the very grave risks associated with having that kind of fertilizer plant storing certain kinds of chemicals. And the risks of it's location so close to local schools.
With that in mind, the Center of Effective Government examined how states report hazardous chemicals to the government and found in many states there are facilities that aren't keeping good track of chemical risks. So first responders have no way of knowing what they're heading into.
Sean Moulton, the Director of the Open Government Policy Program, says more than 420 indiana facilities store more than 300 million pounds of nine of the most common hazardous chemicals.
Today marks the second anniversary of the deadly explosion of a fertilizer facility in West, Texas. 15 people were killed in the explosion and 10 of the people who died were voluntary fire fighters who responded to the call. At the time the fire fighters weren't aware of the very grave risks associated with having that kind of fertilizer plant storing certain kinds of chemicals. And the risks of it's location so close to local schools.
With that in mind, the Center of Effective Government examined how states report hazardous chemicals to the government and found in many states there are facilities that aren't keeping good track of chemical risks. So first responders have no way of knowing what they're heading into.
Sean Moulton, the Director of the Open Government Policy Program, says more than 420 indiana facilities store more than 300 million pounds of nine of the most common hazardous chemicals.
