UnitedStatesOfficeofSolidWasteEPA550-F00-001EnvironmentalProtectionandEmergencyResponseApril2000Agency(5104)www.epa.gov/ceppo/PREVENTIONOFREACTIVECHEMICALEXPLOSIONSCASESTUDY:WASTEFUEL/OXIDIZERREACTIONHAZARDSEPAisissuingthisCaseStudyaspartofitsongoingefforttoprotecthumanhealthandtheenvironmentbypreventingchemicalaccidents.EPAisstrivingtolearnthecausesandcontributingfactorsassociatedwithchemicalaccidentsandtopreventtheirrecurrence.Majorchemicalaccidentscannotbepreventedsolelythroughcommandandcontrolregulatoryrequirements;understandingthefundamentalrootcausesofaccidents,widelydisseminatingthelessonslearned,andintegratingtheselessonslearnedintosafeoperationsarealsorequired.EPAwillpublishCaseStudiesandAlertstoincreaseawarenessofpossiblehazards.Itisimportantthatfacilities,SERCs,LEPCs,emergencyrespondersandothersreviewthisinformationandtakeappropriatestepstominimizerisk.ThisdocumentdoesnotsubstituteforEPA’sregulations,norisitaregulationitself.ItcannotimposelegallybindingrequirementsonEPA,states,ortheregulatedcommunity,andmaynotapplytoaparticularsituationbaseduponcircumstances.Thisguidancedoesnotrepresentfinalagencyaction,andmaychangeinthefuture,asappropriate.Problem:Themixingoforganicfuelsandoxidizersisgenerallyrecognizedasinherentlydangerous.Accidenthistoriesrevealmanyexamplesoffiresandexplosionstriggeredbyimpropermixingofthesesubstances.Theincidentdescribedhereisanexampleofthepotentialconsequencesassociatedwithimpropermixingoforganicsolventsandoxidizers.ThisCaseStudyisdesignedtoraiseawarenessaboutthehazardsassociatedwithblendingwastefuelsandreactivechemicalsandtoofferrecommendationstoreducethepotentialforaccidents.CHEMICALSAFETYCASESTUDYHASKELL,OKLAHOMA(MARCH26,1997)OnMarch26,1997,atabout3p.m.anprovidingawaytoreuseflammableexplosionoccurredwithinafuelhazardouswaste.Foryears,cementblendingtankatChiefSupplyproducershaveburnedflammableCorporation(Chief),inHaskell,hazardouswasteliquids,suchasOklahoma.Oneworkerwaskilledandsolvents,therebyreducingrawfueltwoothersinjured.Theexplosionandconsumptionandcost.Fueldemandforresultingfirecausedextensivedamagetocementproductionandavailabilityofthefacility.Severalsmallerexplosionsflammablewastehasincreasedtheoccurredasover1,000drumscontainingamountofhazardouswaste-derivedfuelswastepaints,oils,thinners,inks,beingblendedbysmalleroperations.cleaningsolvents,assortedacids,bases,metalsludge,andfour5,000-gallonFuelblendersprocessmanytypesoftanksholdingwastefuelsbecamehazardouswastes,suchaspaints,involvedinthefire.Ahighwaynexttosolvents,andusedoil,intofuelswiththesitewasclosed;thefacilityandansufficientheatvalueforuseincementarea1.5milesnorthandonemileeastofkilns.Thespecificationsforthefuelthefacilityinthepathofalargesmokeblend(e.g.BTUvalueandamountofplumewereevacuated.Thefirewasimpurities)arenormallyestablishedbyfullyextinguishedthreedayslater.thecementkilnoperator,dictatedbytheemissionsstandardssetforthatkiln.FUELBLENDINGOPERATIONSBy1996,over140U.S.companieswereThewastefuelblendingindustrygrewblendingandprocessingfuelsderivedfromaneedtoprovidelargequantitiesoffueltocementproductionkilnswhileChemicalEmergencyPreparednessandPreventionOfficePrintedonRecycledPaper2PreventionofReactiveChemicalExplosionsApril2000fromhazardouswastesforuseincementkilns.ThesefacilitiesaresubjecttoregulationsundertheResourceConservationandRecoveryAct(RCRA)forthetreatment,...
