Explosion rocks Bayer Plant in Institute

Explosion rocks Bayer Plant in Institute

An explosion Thursday night at the Bayer chemical plant in Institute/West Virginia sent a fireball hundreds of feet into the air and could be felt miles away. Thousands of nearby residents were urged to stay indoors. According to WCHS Radio News authorities confirmed one worker was killed and a second worker was severely burned. Emergency officials temporarily closed Interstate 64, U.S. 60 and state Route 25.

The blast raised fears about the air quality in the area since the plant produces highly dangerous crop-protection chemicals. Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper criticized Bayer's officials: “We are getting such poor information from the plant, it's worthless.” The blast occurred in the methomyl production. Methomyl is a highly toxic pesticide.

At Bayer's Institute/West Virginia plant large quantities of highly dangerous chemicals like methyl isocyanate (MIC) and phosgene are produced and stored. MIC is also used for methomyl production.

Philipp Mimkes, spokesman of the Coalition against Bayer Dangers: “Bayer managers have often enough downplayed the risks of the Institute plant. Bayer has to make clear which amounts of which substances escaped into the air. We repeat our demand that MIC and phosgene stockpiles at Institute have to be dismantled. The explosion once more shows that the neighbourhood of the plant is constantly endangered.” The Coalition had introduced a countermotion to Bayer´s Annual Stockholders´ Meeting in April demanding not to ratify the board until MIC stockpiles in Institute are dismantled and the frequent spills of hazardous substances are stopped. Bayer´s CEO Werner Wenning rejected the countermotion in the meeting as “without substance”.

Bayer took over ownership of the factory in 2001. In the 1980s, the factory belonged to Union Carbide and was regarded as the "sister plant" to the infamous factory in Bhopal, India. In December 1984, 30 tons of MIC leaked from the Bhopal plant and at least 15,000 people fell victim to the worst chemical accident in history. After the catastrophe in India, public attention focused on the pesticides factory at Institute, because the same safety regulations applied as in Bhopal and large quantities of MIC were stored there.

Major incidents happened at Institute in August 1985 and again in August 1994 when an explosion destroyed part of the pesticides production plant. One worker was killed immediately and at least one other died later from the consequences. In 1994 a worst-case scenario analysis came to the conclusion that, in the event of a Maximum Credible Accident (MCA), cases of fatal poisoning could occur over a radius of several kilometers. In February 1996 again a leak and fire occurred and forced thousands of residents to take shelter in their homes.

Today, Institute is the only place in the United States where MIC is produced and stored in such large volumes. At least twice the amount of MIC that escaped at Bhopal is constantly present in the factory. In the eighties Institute residents formed the group People Concerned About MIC. For more than a decade, they demanded that various plant owners reduce the MIC stockpile or take other steps to make the facility safer.

Even in normal operation, large volumes of hazardous substances are released from the factory. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the plant released more than 300 tons of chemicals and pollutants into the air in 2006, including 200 kg of MIC and four tons of chlorine. The plant accounts for 90% of the stored MIC and 95% of the MIC emissions in the whole United States.

The most recent incident at Institute occurred on December 28, 2007, when several drums containing the pesticide thiodicarb burst. Dozens of residents had to be treated for headache and respiratory problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the thiodicarb as extremely toxic and potentially carcinogenic. Thiodicarb has been banned in the European Union.

more information:
· Countermotion to Bayer´s shareholder meeting on security issues in Institute: http://www.asm2008.bayer.com/en/Countermotions-2008.pdfx
· A report by the Charleston Gazette: http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/200808280743

Coalition against BAYER Dangerswww.CBGnetwork.orgCBGnetwork@aol.comTel: (+49) 211-333 911 Fax: (+49) 211-333 940please send an e-mail for receiving the English newsletter Keycode BAYER free of chargeAdvisory Board Prof. Juergen Junginger, designer, Krefeld, Prof. Dr. Juergen Rochlitz, chemist, former member of the Bundestag, Burgwald Wolfram Esche, attorney, Cologne Dr. Sigrid Müller, pharmacologist, Bremen Eva Bulling-Schroeter, member of the Bundestag, BerlinProf. Dr. Anton Schneider, biologist, Neubeuern Dorothee Sölle, theologian, Hamburg (died 2003) Dr. Janis Schmelzer, historian, Berlin Dr. Erika Abczynski, pediatrician, Dormagen

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