BREAKING: Hazardous materials incident from Perdue prompts shelter in place order in Georgetown – WMDT

Georgetown Police Issue Shelter-in-Place Alert Due to Hazardous Materials Incident at Perdue Plant

GEORGETOWN, Del. – Georgetown Police have issued an alert advising area residents to shelter in place following a hazardous materials incident at the local Perdue plant.

Incident Details

According to the Georgetown Fire Company, as of 7 p.m. on Wednesday, fire crews, Sussex County public safety personnel, DNREC officials, and members of the Delaware State Fire School were on the scene of a hazardous materials incident at the Perdue processing plant on Savannah Road in Georgetown.

Shelter-in-Place Order

Officials have emphasized the need for the immediate area, within a half-mile radius of the Perdue plant, to shelter in place and stay inside until further notice on Wednesday evening.

Cause of the Incident

WMDT’s Rob Petree spoke to Georgetown Mayor Bill West, who stated that the incident occurred due to the mixing of two chemicals at the Perdue plant.

“We’ve had somebody mix two chemicals together at the Perdue plant that has emitted a smell,” Mayor West explained. “We’ve got a chemist en route to identify the chemicals and advise us on any necessary actions.”

Lewis Briggs from the Georgetown Fire Company provided further information on the incident and the chemicals involved.

“When fire crews arrived, they were informed about a chemical cloud that was released from the plant,” Briggs explained. “Crews immediately began to evacuate the area and instructed residents in the immediate vicinity to shelter in place.”

Injuries and Chemicals Involved

At least four workers were treated at the scene for irritated eyes and coughing as a result of the chemical exposure.

Tom Ryan, a representative from Perdue, informed WMDT News that the incident occurred when a chemical supplier accidentally mixed peracetic acid (PAA) into a caustic chemical tank, creating a smoke plume that has since dissipated.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This incident at the Perdue plant highlights the importance of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations. These goals include:

1. Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being – Ensuring the safety and well-being of workers and residents in the affected area.
2. Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – Addressing the potential contamination of water sources due to the hazardous materials incident.
3. Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Implementing measures to prevent and respond to hazardous incidents in industrial areas to protect the surrounding communities.
4. Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Promoting responsible handling and storage of chemicals to prevent accidents and minimize environmental impact.
5. Goal 15: Life on Land – Mitigating the potential harm to local ecosystems and wildlife caused by the release of hazardous chemicals.

Conclusion

The shelter-in-place order was lifted shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday. However, residents may continue to smell the chemicals for several days. Mayor West assures residents that there is no cause for concern.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The issues highlighted in the article include a hazardous materials incident at the Perdue plant, chemical exposure, and the release of a chemical cloud. These issues are connected to the SDGs mentioned above, as they involve health and well-being, water pollution, and industrial processes.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination
• Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials
• Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes

The article’s content relates to these targets as it discusses the need to reduce the negative impacts of hazardous chemicals, improve water quality, and ensure sustainable and environmentally sound industrial processes.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution
• Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
• Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added

The article does not explicitly mention these indicators, but they can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. The mortality rate attributed to air pollution, the proportion of bodies of water with good water quality, and CO2 emissions per unit of value added are relevant indicators to assess the impact of hazardous chemicals, water pollution, and industrial processes on health, water quality, and sustainability.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wmdt.com