May 6, 2008 6:54 pm US/Pacific
Fish, Birds Dead After Richmond Chemical Spill
RICHMOND (CBS 5 / KCBS / AP / BCN) ―
Dozens of fish and two mallard ducks were found dead in an irrigation ditch after a toxic solvent that leaked from a Richmond chemical plant reached the waters of San Pablo Bay, state and federal officials said Tuesday.
Thousands of gallons of the solvent, toluene, were released from the plant on Monday after thieves stripped critical valves from factory equipment.
A crew of about 20 hazardous materials specialists have been using vacuum trucks to pump liquid out of the drainage ditches, booms to contain the chemical once it reaches the water and a charcoal filtration system designed to clean the water as it heads back out to the bay.
As of Tuesday afternoon, crews had recovered 4,300 gallons of a toluene and water mixture, much of it captured from drainage areas, said state Department of Fish and Game spokeswoman Carol Singleton.
Officials did not know how much toluene was in the mixture. They also still don't know how much of the chemical seeped into Parchester Marsh, which is part of Point Pinole Regional Shoreline and home to several endangered species, or how much washed into San Pablo Bay.
The cleanup effort was expected to continue until Friday, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Arex Avanni said.
East Bay Regional Parks District officials closed Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, all access routes to the shoreline, and the fishing pier. The marsh area is home to the California Clapper Rail, the Black Rail, the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse and possibly the Salt Marsh Wandering Shrew and the San Pablo Vole -- all endangered species.
The thieves stole brass valves from Reaction Products' plant at 840 Morton Avenue, evidently so they could sell them, but the removal of the valves caused the solvent to escape, Singleton said.
Toluene in high concentrations is "very dangerous, flammable, carcinogenic," Singleton said. "It's a nasty chemical."
So powerful are the fumes that a shelter-in-place warning was briefly issued to 1,500 homes in Richmond's Parchester Village on Monday afternoon after the spill was finally reported to local authorities.
Singleton said officials were surprised the thieves themselves were not physically affected by the toluene fumes, especially because the tanks were not empty as marked.
"I would think it would have overcome them the fumes would have been overpowering," Singleton said. But the thieves appeared to have completed their mission.
"They can take them to a recycling company and get maybe 10 bucks for them," Singleton said. "Yet they've unleashed a disaster that's going to cost thousands to clean up."
Contra Costa County officials said the owner of Reaction Products did not follow protocols to properly notify authorities when he discovered the leak.
Dwight Merrill, the owner, initially reported 500 gallons of mineral spirits a far less toxic substance had leaked, and he called a cleanup contractor, not county or state emergency officials, said Randy Sawyer, director of the county's Hazardous Materials Program.
Merrill told county officials that he had the spill contained and declined county assistance, according to Swayer. But personnel from the contract company, Clean Harbors Environmental Services, later realized that the material spilled was not mineral spirits and notified the Coast Guard.
"Where the ball got dropped was the owner minimizing the amount of
material and what material was leaked," Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan said.
Gagan would not speculate about whether the company allegedly tried to mislead authorities, was negligent or any other possible explanation.
The chemical facility, just 75 yards from residences, also did not have measures in place to contain such a spill, Gagan said.
Merrill declined to comment when reached by the Associated Press, although officials involved in the cleanup effort said they had been unable to make contact with him on Tuesday.
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