HONR 297Environmental ModelsChapter 4: Hazardous Materials Management4.1: Background

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Hazardous MaterialsWhere are hazardous materials?

◦All around us!We use hazardous materials for many

things, including:◦Vehicle fuel◦Cooking◦Heat◦Lawn maintenance◦Gardening◦Pest Control◦What else? …

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Managing Hazardous MaterialsOver the last quarter century, as a society,

we have developed an elaborate framework of regulations and technical tools to help manage hazardous materials safely.

This development, which involves mathematical analysis and modeling to a great extent, came about as a result of◦Rapid technological advances during the 20th

century.◦Several disasters of epic proportions as well as

many smaller ones.◦ Increased environmental awareness and activism.

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Three Mile IslandOn March 28, 1979, the Three Mile

Island nuclear plant, located near Harrisburg, PA, suffered a partial meltdown of its radioactive core.

According to nuclear experts, the meltdown, which was caused by a sequence of unexpected events, was thought to be virtually impossible.

Three Mile Island Documentary: Nuclear Power's Promise and Peril | Retro Report | The New York Times

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Three Mile IslandWhat did we learn from this

incident?◦Systems can fail in unexpected

ways.◦Response planning for emergencies

had not been given sufficient priority.◦We cannot believe everything

experts tell us.

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Bhopal, IndiaOn the night of December 2, 1984, a

toxic gas cloud was released from a pesticide plant located in Bhopal, India.

In addition to killing or severely harming thousands of people, lasting impacts from the cloud are still evident today.

NBC Nightly News report, December 3, 1984

Bhopal, India - 25 years after Union Carbide gas leak – BBC News

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Chernobyl, UkraineOn April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl

nuclear plant suffered two explosions and a fire, which resulted in the release of radioactive material that was detected as far away as Scandinavia.

This is the worst nuclear power plant disaster in terms of cost and casualties.

The Animals of Chernobyl | The New York Times

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More Recent DisastersSee our text (p.

106) for other examples of major disasters.

West Fertilizer Company Explosion, West TX, April 17, 2013

Lac-Mégantic MMA Train Accident - 6 July 2013◦ Related WISHTV

News ReportLa Porte, TX DuP

ont Plant Chemical Leak, November 15, 2014

Others?

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Impact on CompaniesWithin the past few decades there

has been a push for companies to improve their environmental performance.

This is due to both to “episodic events” such as those listed above, as well as,

the further discovery of environmental problems (such as those discussed in Chapter 2).

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Impact on CompaniesSeveral forces have entered into this push for

environmental performance improvement:◦ Public pressure – people are better educated, more

skeptical, and have learned that public pressure matters (this started after the Vietnam war).

◦ Financial concerns of company management – financial costs include liability, clean-up, and loss of stock value.

◦ Regulatory developments – empowered by the Superfund Program’s enactment, as well as other programs such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), regulatory agencies have expanded their attention to all hazardous materials.

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Industry Environmental ToolsA wide range of companies have

developed internal management and control systems to help guard against environmental disasters.

This work is mainly done by large companies since they have the necessary resources.

Working together, these companies have developed tools such as the following:

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Industry Environmental ToolsMore extensive, uniform, written policies and

procedures governing company operations that could impact the environment.◦ Applies to all plants around the world.◦ Includes approval processes for plant modification.

Formal oversight processes, such as process safety reviews and environmental audits.◦ These are carried out by outside personnel (at least in

part), with a direct line to top management.Quantitative methodologies, such as probabilistic

safety assessment and risk analysis.◦ These address both the likelihood and consequences

of disasters.

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Industry Environmental ToolsIdentification of “critical operating

parameters”.◦Corrective actions or shutdowns are triggered

automatically based on these parameters.Extensive emergency planning.

◦ Includes both off-site and on-site notification and response.

◦This helps provide better emergency management in the event of an actual emergency.

Mathematical modeling has been a key to many of these developments!

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Regulatory Agency StrategiesAt the same time industry has been working

on addressing their environmental issues, regulatory agencies have been developing long-term environmental improvement and personnel protection strategies.

Examples of federal agencies involved in this work:◦Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ◦Department of Transportation (DOT)◦Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA)◦Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

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Regulatory Agency Strategies Examples of these developments include: Wide availability of “material safety data sheets”

(MSDS).◦ These list the properties, hazards, and protective measures

appropriate for a wide range of chemicals (household and industrial).

Formation of local and statewide emergency planning committees to◦ Collect data on the use of hazardous materials in states and

local communities.◦ Plan for potential emergencies involving these materials.

Strict reporting requirements for companies or other organizations regarding their◦ Hazardous chemical inventory.◦ Incidents involving releases of these chemicals to the

environment.

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Regulatory Agency StrategiesMandated use of environmental

audits and quantitative risk analysis.

Modified routing, labeling, and packaging requirements for the transport of hazardous materials.

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Regulatory Agency Technical Assistance Most regulatory agencies

have also expanded their programs for technical assistance to communities and industries.

Here are some examples: The “Orange Book”, a first

responder’s guide to dealing with a hazardous materials emergency, which includes◦ Chemical data◦ Evacuation decision guidance◦ Other basic information◦ 1st and 40th edition shown at

right!

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Regulatory Agency Technical AssistanceRisk analysis computer

software has been developed to help people analyze and plan for hazardous material risks.◦ Automated Resource for

Chemical Hazard Incident Evaluation (ARCHIE)

◦ Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO)

◦ Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA)

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Background MaterialThe examples listed above and throughout

this chapter comprise just a small portion of the activities industry and regulatory agencies have been engaged in to address hazardous materials and related environmental issues and impact.

In the sections that follow we will look at the scientific and engineering concepts needed to understand and work with hazardous materials modeling software.

Then we will use computer software to study some typical sample scenarios!

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References YouTube Videos

◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0P9S4F4KpQ◦ http://www.nbcnews.com/video/icue/34240947#34240947◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELllSxnDS0g◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG-nwQBBfmc◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReAjMhCeu0◦ http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/04/remarkable-new-video-of-west-texas-explosion/◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVMNspPc8Zc◦ http://www.click2houston.com/news/smell-from-dupont-facility-spill-in-laporte-spreads-as-far-as-

sugar-land/29738254 Clip Art and Photos

◦ http://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments/PublicWorks/SolidWaste/RecyclingPrograms/HazardousWaste/tabid/114/Default.aspx

◦ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mile_Island_accident#mediaviewer/File:Three_Mile_Island_Nuclear_Generating_Station.jpg

◦ http://www.presstv.ir/detail/179350.html◦ http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--9F93r2Xm--/802605820801960365.png◦ http://www.la-croix.com/var/bayard/storage/images/lacroix/actualite/monde/explosion-d-un-train

-a-lac-megantic-au-quebec-2013-07-07-983411/34533006-1-fre-FR/Explosion-d-un-train-a-Lac-Megantic-au-Quebec_article_popin.jpg

Charles Hadlock, Mathematical Modeling in the Environment, Chapter 4.1 http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/3mile-isle.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal#Bhopal_disaster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster#Accident http://www2.epa.gov/rcra http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/aug10/youraaos3.asp http://gcmd.nasa.gov/KeywordSearch/Metadata.do?Portal=GCMD_Services&KeywordPath

=ServiceParameters%7CHAZARDS+MANAGEMENT%7CHAZARDS+MITIGATION&EntryId=ARCHIE&MetadataView=Full&MetadataType=1&lbnode=mdlb1

http://www2.epa.gov/cameo/what-cameo-software-suite http://gcmd.nasa.gov/KeywordSearch/Metadata.do?Portal=GCMD_Services&KeywordPath

=ServiceParameters%7CHAZARDS+MANAGEMENT%7CHAZARDS+MITIGATION&EntryId=ARCHIE&MetadataView=Full&MetadataType=1&lbnode=mdlb1