DuPont DeLisle Plant - Executive Summary

| Accident History | Chemicals | Emergency Response | Registration | Source | Executive Summary |

The DuPont White Pigment and Mineral Products (WPMP) Plant at DeLisle, Mississippi has a mission that includes "safely make and ship the best TiO2 in the worldin a way that creates a great place to work and continually enhances our license to operate."  To accomplish these aspects of our mission, we are committed to operating and maintaining all of our processes in a safe and responsible manner.  We use a combination of accidental release prevention programs and emergency response planning programs to help ensure the safety of our employees and the public as well as the protection of the environment.  DeLisle's approach to accidental release prevention is to fully comply with OSHA's PSM rule and DuPont's standard on Process Safety Management, S21A-PSM.  While complying with the OSHA rule and our own standard, we address all elements of the RMP rule for a Program 3 Prevention Program. 
 
The DuPont Plant at DeLisle, Mississippi is located on the north shore of the Bay of St. Louis abou 
t 15 miles west of Gulfport, Mississippi. The facilities are situated on a 2400-acre site; however, only about 200 acres are developed.  We manufacture a single product, titanium dioxide (TiO2), under the trade name TiPure (TM).  Titanium dioxide is manufactured via the chloride process in which titanium dioxide ore is chlorinated to titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4); the TiCl4 is subsequently re-oxidized to refined TiO2.  The RMP covered chemicals we handle are detailed in the following: 
 
             TOXIC                                             USE AT DELISLE 
             Chlorine                                          Produce Titanium Tetrachloride 
             Titanium Tetrachloride                    Intermediate used in the manufacture of TiO2 
 
The worst-case release scenario  would be the failure of the largest chlorine storage tank  with the contents being released over a 10-minute interval.  With the weather conditions stipulated by EPA, and no administrative controls o 
r mitigation measures considered, public and environmental receptors could potentially be impacted. Determinations were made using EPA's RMP*Comp (TM), version 1.06,  Land View III (TM)  Environmental Mapping Software and United States Geological Survey (USGS) maps. 
 
Alternative release scenarios involve the simultaneous vapor release of 300 pounds of chlorine and 4000 pounds of titanium tetrachloride from an oxidation reactor over a 10-minute time interval.  With typical weather conditions, and no administrative controls or mitigation measures considered, only public receptors could potentially be impacted.  Determinations were made using SAFER (TM) Trace 8.0 (b) atmospheric dispersion modeling software, LandView III(TM) Environmental Mapping Software, USGS maps and weather conditions provided by the Southern Regional Climate Center.  
 
We keep records for all significant accidental chemical releases that occur at our facility.  The following is a brief summary of accidental chemical r 
eleases involving materials covered under EPA's RMP rule during the past five years: 
 
On January 9, 1998, DeLisle experienced two (2) OSHA recordable injuries as the result of the accidental release of approximately one (1) pound of chlorine during chlorine railcar hook-up.  Both were inhalation injuries.  There was no off-site impact as a result of this release. 
 
On February 10, 1997, DeLisle experienced one (1) recordable injury as the result of the accidental release of 12 pounds of chlorine.  The release occurred when a pipeline failed during start-up.  This injury was to the ankle and was received while exiting the building.  There was no off-site impact as a result of this release. 
 
On August 30, 1996, DeLisle experienced three (3) OSHA recordable injuries as the result of the accidental release of approximately 400 gallons (5000 pounds) of liquid titanium tetrachloride.  The release occurred during the performance of maintenance activities.  All three were inhalation injuries.   
There were no off-site injuries; however, there was local media attention. 
 
 
 
DeLisle's emergency response program is contained in our Emergency Procedures Manual (EPM).  It consolidates the various regulations for emergency response planning. It provides the essential planning for effectively protecting workers, the public and the environment during emergency situations.  We do coordinate our plan with applicable community emergency response plans and local responders.  Important keys to the success of our emergency response program include: 
 
- a trained on-site emergency organization, 
- training for all employees, including routine drills, 
- drills and information sharing with local emergency responders and, 
- the use of our Early Warning System (EWS) to alert our near neighbors. 
 
To improve DeLisle's safety  performance and position, we make improvements to plant facilities and systems through various processes.  Some of these are PSM processes such as process hazards reviews, incid 
ent investigations and auditing.  We also make improvements as identified by our WPMP PSM Network. This network has membership from each of our TiO2 production sites.
Click to return to beginning