BASF US plant evacuated after chemical release, later restarted

23 March 2010 23:07  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--BASF evacuated its US plant in Missouri early on Tuesday following the release of an unknown amount of sulphur trioxide, but it brought its 30 employees back three hours later, a company spokeswoman said.

No one was injured, said Maureen Paukert, manager of corporate communications at BASF.

Mixed with water, sulphur trioxide becomes sulphuric acid.

Paukert said the company was investigating but had no explanation yet for what happened. The plant makes chemicals for crop protection, according to its website.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) shut down barge traffic on the nearby Mississippi river but had re-opened the waterway by mid day, according to a Coast Guard spokesman.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources sent an emergency environmental responder to the site but did not immediately respond to calls about the incident.

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By: Lane Kelley
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