Hercules Incorporated, Hattiesburg, Ms. Plant - Executive Summary |
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Hercules Incorporated is a member of the Chemical Manufacturers Association and is committed to the principles of Responsible Care. At Hercules, we manufacture chemcial specialty products. We do so with full commitment to the chemical industry's Responsible Care initiative. In keeping with this commitment, we are dedicated to providing a safe and healthful environment for our employees, customers, and communities. To do this, we are dedicated to and working toward continuous improvement in our operations to prevent pollution; to reduce risk; and to enhance safety, health, and environmental performance. By incorporating these beliefs and attitudes into the way we do things at Hercules, we take a key step forward in minimizing the environmental impact of our operations, satisfyng customer needs, and creating shareholder value. We will adhere to the following basic principles in managing our business worldwide: We will comply with the letter and spirit of all applicable safety, heal th,and environmental laws, regulations, and corporate guidelines. We will define strategic objectives, develop tactical plans, identify clear accountability, provide necessary resources, and measure our progress on safety, health, and environmental matters on an ongoing basis. Our planning will consider both business goals and significant safety, health, and envionmental aspects of our products and operations. We will evaluate the safety, health, and environmental impacts of new and existing products and operations and will work to reduce the adverse impacts. We will provide for an open dialogue on safety, health, and environmental issues relating to our products and operations with our stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, government agencies, and communities. We will work to continually reduce workplace injuries; incidents with the potential for causing property damage, material loss, or interruption of our business; waste; and releases to the env ironment. We will emphasize product stewardship and advocate its importance to our suppliers, distributors, and customers. Every Hercules employee, worldwide, has a role to play. All of us are responsible and accountable for adhering to the letter and spirit of this policy. All of us must incorporate safety, health and environmental considerations into our daily business activities. It takes a total team effort to truly be a Responsible Care company. The Hattiesburg-Mississippi plant was origionally designed in the early 1920's to extract rosin and liquid terpenes from virgin pine stumps left from logging operations. Our rosin based operations produce materials primarily used in the adhesive industry and even in the production of chewing gum. Over the years the plant's production from our rosin based operations has declined. Although started back in the 1960's our paper-chemical based operations are the newest part of our plant. Our paper-chemical based operations produce mat erials primarily used in the paper manufacturing industry. Our materials when used in the manufacture of paper towels and tissues gives varying strenght to these different type commercial paper products when wet. Other Hercules paper materials when used in the manufacture of commercial paper products give water resistance characteristics so that ink will stay on the paper. Currently, three of our process chemicals, Epichlorohydrin, Ethylene Oxide, and Ammonia are regulated as a toxic chemical under the Risk Management Guideline. One chemical, Ethyl Ether, is regulate as a flammable chemical under the Risk Management Guideline. The toxic chemical worst-case scenario at our facility is the catastrophic release of 145,000 lbs of Ethylene Oxide from a full railroad tank car. Modeling for this scenario predicts a distance to the toxic endpoint of 6.59 miles based on the use of the SLAB model. The potential population that could be affected by such a release is approximately 35,000 peopl e. The toxic chemical alternative-case scenario for Ethlyene Oxide is the break in a line from the railroad tank car to the storage tank. Modeling for this scenario predicts a distance to the toxic endpoint of 0.14 miles based on the use of the DEGADIS model. The potential population that could be affected by such a release is approximately 47 people. The toxic chemical alternative-case scenario for Ammonia is the break in a vapor line. Modeling for this scenario predicts a distance to the toxic endpoint of 0.38 miles based on the use of the ALOHA model. The potential population that could be affected by such a release is approximately 470 people. The toxic chemical alternative-case scenario for Epichlorohydrin is the break in a line outside containment. Modeling for this scenario predicts a distance to the toxic endpoint of 0.26 miles based on the use of the ALOHA model. The potential population that could be affected by such a release is approximately 220 people. The flammable c hemical worst-case scenario at our facility is the catastrophic release and vaporization of 277,000 lbs of Ethyl Ether from a full railroad tank car. Modeling for this scenario predicts a distance to a 1 psi overpressure endpoint of 0.36 miles. The potential population that could be affected by such a release is approximately 420 people. The flammable chemical alternate-case scenario at our facility is a tank car leak release and vaporization. Modeling for this scenario predicts a distance to a 1 psi overpressure endpoint of 0.13 miles. The potential population that could be affected by such a release is approximately 41 people. |