A Calvert City plant has been cited following a benzene vapor release earlier this month.
Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection investigators issued a notice of violation against Ashland Chemical for “failure to operate air pollution control equipment in a manner consistent with good air pollution control practices,” according KDEP Spokesman Lanny Brannock. The investigation was concluded, and Brannock said a full report was expected to be completed Thursday.
The citation comes in reference to a reported benzene gas release that began Wednesday, May 31 when a disk ruptured on an above ground storage tank at the facility. According to the incident report on file with KDEP, the leak went undetected due to an “electronic equipment failure” until Sunday, June 4, releasing about 130 pounds of benzene vapor.
Brannock said he did not have details on what specific equipment that entailed.
Marshall County Emergency Management confirmed the release of at least 90 pounds, though Director Curt Curtner said the event was minor and his office was not called to respond.
Benzene is a clear, colorless, highly flammable and volatile, liquid aromatic hydrocarbon with a gasoline-like odor, according to the open chemistry database provided online by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. It is found in crude oils and as a by-product of oil-refining processes. In industry benzene is used as a solvent, as a chemical intermediate and is used in the synthesis of numerous chemicals.
“The benzene is stored under a nitrogen blanket, which minimized volatilization to the atmosphere,” Brannock said. “They’re doing air monitoring at the property boundary and near the tank, and they didn’t find any detected vapors.”
KDEP was notified of the release late in the evening of June 4, he said. Repairs to the equipment were set to be completed June 4.
“The immediate response is for public health and public safety, and to make sure that we don’t have an environmental issue,” Brannock said. “And it doesn’t appear that we do.”
Plant Manager Frank Stevens did not return calls to Marshall County Daily for comment.
Brannock said the full report would be available upon open records request.