Hundreds in W. Va. report exposure symptoms after crippling chemical spill

[KeepItReal]

Source: Fox News.com (I know...I know)

Hundreds of West Virginia residents are complaining of exposure symptoms after a crippling chemical spill compromised the public water supply for thousands of people and forced the closure of schools businesses, and restaurants in the state capital.

By Friday evening, 737 people had called the West Virginia Poison Center to report concerns or symptoms related to the spill, including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, rashes and reddened skin, state health officials told Reuters.

Dr. Elizabeth Scharman, director of the state's poison control center, said the symptoms vary "from very mild to much more bothersome.'' She told Reuters at least 70 people have been seen by an emergency room doctor, though only a handful have been admitted to hospitals.

About 300,000 people in nine counties entered their third day Saturday without being able to drink, bathe in, or wash dishes or clothes with their tap water. The only allowed use of the water was for flushing toilets. Officials remain unclear when it might be safe again.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/01/11/hundreds-report-exposure-symptoms-in-w-va-after-crippling-chemical-spill/

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Link to video on the spill: Click here

[KG]

1. clean coal!

[valerief]

3. +1000

[underpants]

7. What is 4-methylcyclohexane methanol?

CNN actually does some basic reporting

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/10/health/west-virginia-chemical/

To help avoid confusion, here's some information about 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, taken from the American Association of Poison Control Centers and CNN's previous reporting:

This chemical is used to:

-- Wash coal before it goes to market to reduce ash, also known as the "froth flotation process" of coal preparation

[niyad]

16. 4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol

4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol
Molar mass 128.21 g mol?1
Appearance Colourless oil
Density 0.884 g/cm3
Boiling point 192 °C; 378 °F; 465 K
Solubility in water low

4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol, or more appropriately 4-methylcyclohexylmethanol, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C6H10CH2OH. Classified as an alcohol, it exists as two isomers with similar properties. It is a colourless oil with a faint mint-like[1] odor of licorice.[2] Like other octanols,
********THE COMPOUND IS ONLY SLIGHTLY SOLUBLE IN WATERr****** but highly soluble in many organic solvents.

Synthesis and production

It was first prepared by Bouveault-Blanc reduction of the corresponding methylcyclohexanecarboxylate ester.[1]

It is produced as a byproduct (ca. 1%) from the production of cyclohexanedimethanol, which is obtained by hydrogenation of dimethylterephthalate, a commodity chemical.[3]

C6H4(CO2CH3)2 + 8 H2 ? CH3C6H10CH2OH + 2 CH3OH + 3 H2O

Uses

MCHM has been produced and used as "a solvent for cellulose esters and cellulose ethers and for lacquers resins, oils, and waxes, an antioxidant for lubricants, and a blending agent for special textile soaps."[4] ********It has been patented as an air freshener.*******[5]

U. S. Patent 4915825 describes a froth flotation process for cleaning coal where a mixture of 95% MCHM, 4% water, and 0.1% 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol monoether (such as 4-(methoxymethyl)cyclohexanemethanol) is used as a frothing agent, and finely divided coal particles adhere to air bubbles induced into the agent which rise to the surface. Other monoesters, monoaldehydes, and cyclohexane alcohols can also be used. MCHM has the advantage of being less toxic than previous frothing agents containing 2-ethylhexanol.[6] However, its owners let the patent expire after 8 years for failure to pay maintenance fees.[7]
Health and safety

Routes of exposure to MCHM include inhalation, dermal contact, and ingestion.[4] According to the Hazardous Substances Data Bank of the U.S. National Library of Medicine Toxicology Data Network (Toxnet), exposure to MCHM vapors, particularly prolonged exposure and exposure at excessive concentrations, can produce irritation to eyes, skin, upper respiratory tract, and mucous membranes; skin rash, and headache.[4] "High exposures from skin contact or inhalation may cause damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs, and may result in death."[4]

It has been reported that it can be dangerous in high concentrations. In lower concentrations it can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, and throat, as well as drowsiness, breathing problems, and dizziness. Swallowed it can cause nausea. If breathed into lungs it may cause pneumonia.[8]

Prolonged exposure effects are not clear

[arcane1]

27. Indeed, the word "coal" appears nowhere in the Fox link

Surprise, surprise!

[In_The_Wind]

2. How many of them can get to a source of safe water?

[KeepItReal]

4. Sounds like initial efforts definitely were not enough

Turning people away from depleted water distribution points does not sound good.

How many people (who weren't paying attention to the news) had no idea their water was poisoned that day?

[In_The_Wind]

5. Hard working folks don't always have the time to watch news.

This is another sad day for West Virginia.

[jtuck004]

6. 300,000 people? Leave their homes and go where?

Could bring it to them - According to the government they need a gallon per day, though that is just about enough for drinking and cooking, not really enough to clean with. Older and sick people need more, pets, etc. say 500,000 gallons per day, minimum.

If they have them at the ready, and they don't, they could bring in tanker trucks for you to fill plastic jugs with like the do in drought-ridden countries. Those trucks carry between 5000 and 10000 gallons, about 4 million pounds a day. Lets say 8000 per truck? (truckers would know better).

That's roughty 65 semi trucks, every day, 24 x7, and dispersed across an area that is going to increase as the poison moves downstream. Plus delivery to people on SS who, even though they have been lifted out of poverty by SS (or so I hear) probably can't afford cars, or to buy bottled water.

Who pays for it? The company can't, at least not right now. The feds would likely have to step in, it seems.

They are going into day 3, or is it 4. With none? Is the state hoping to delay long enough not to have to do this? I'd be pissed if they weren't doing it already.

[In_The_Wind]

9. They say it's being cleaned up. However it's still not safe to use.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/us/west-virginia-contaminated-water/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/01/140110-4-methylcyclohexane-methanol-chemical-spill-west-virginia-science/

[hollowdweller]

19. I can

Most in the city can get drinking water but not enough to shower or anything.

There are a patchwork of cities around the affected area that have their own treatment plants that can still treat water.

One of the problems is WV American Water company, a private business that relies on public money has expanded and taken over a lot of small PSD's, closing their local water treatment plants which got their water from empoundments and instead started piping their water all over that is drawn from the Elk which is much more likely to pick up chemicals.

If the legislature had stipulated they had to run the local water treatment plants and kept the jobs in the areas they were expanding into, or even used local water there would be no problem.

Another example of why privatization and also crony capitalism is a menace to the public safety.

[In_The_Wind]

25. Keeping my fingers crossed for you to return to normal soon.

Showering and washing dishes/clothes when we need to is an important part of life.

[Scuba]

8. Not a problem. The free hand of the market will sort it all out eventually.

[KeepItReal]

10. Here's the kicker: the local private water company had to be told there was a problem

Local coverage...check the video of the County Commission President

http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/eyewitness/140110_22307.shtml

[trusty elf]

11. doctored screen grab

[IMG][/IMG]

[KeepItReal]

12. Original image of the polluting CEO drinking cold bottled water is damning enough

eom

[trusty elf]

14. true n/t

[NBachers]

13. "Exposure symptoms" equals "Poisoning;" "Bothersome" equals "crisis."

[Cha]

32. Yeah, "bothersome".. depends on what one's definition

of "bothersome" is.

[Doctor_J]

15. The chemical companies and mining companies have used WV as a sewer/petrie dish

for decades. And our government has done nothing to stop them. Appalachia is one of the most naturally beautiful and bountiful regions of North America, yet the rich criminals have turned it into a scarred ghetto of poverty and sickness.

[MisterP]

28. I remember "Night Comes to the Cumberlands"--and that was 1962

[RBInMaine]

17. Well, here's corporate America "taking care of" the "little guy" yet again. It's the GOP way.

[durablend]

18. Better question

Since the federal gov't is stepping in to send people water, what will the Republicans bitch about needs to be cut to pay for it?

[freshwest]

23. No, no, never happen!

[Cha]

33. Exactly, durablend.. Will they even drink H20 from the

dreaded Obama Gov?!

[randr]

20. Drove though this once pristine State a few years back

I was appalled at the obvious destruction. Valleys filled with what once were mountain tops. It is as if the whole state has been turned upside down. At least the parts visible from the Interstate I was traveling.
I would nominate WV as a deportation zone for all climate deniers and pollution profiteers.

[jsr]

21. Freedom Industries!!

[toby jo]

22. You'd think WV would be pure Democrat after living through all that coal's done for it.

I live in Appalachia and there's all kinds of coal town remnants on the backroads. People were paid in company script and these towns show it. They unionized, but we lost them somehow. The southern strategy? Sheer stupidity? My god, you drink their crap water and live by their crap mountains and have their crap slurry in your backyards and you vote for them? Ingodfuckingcredible.

[El_Johns]

31. Current gov is a Democrat & was Pres WV Senate for 17 years. I believe WV is pretty much

"pure Democrat".

Arkansas and West Virginia were won by George W. Bush in 2004, but Democrats hold three of the four U.S. Senate and the majority of elected executive officeholders in those states...

[Teamster Jeff]

26. Shout out to Cabin Creek

Hope things get better soon

[doc03]

29. You know how you get elected in WV? You blame all the problems in WV on the EPA, Obama's "War

on Coal" , gun grabbers, gays and godless liberals.

[greiner3]

30. Freedom-Industries, Inc;

Is the name of the company charged with this mess; USA, USA, USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I find, well, funny is that one of the 'services' this company provides is;

Water Treatment

http://www.freedom-industries.com/products.html