Citation

Ruckart PZ, Orr M, Pałaszewska-Tkacz A, Dewan A, Kapil V. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009; 6(9): 2375-2386.

Affiliation

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, MS F57, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA; E-Mail: morr@cdc.gov.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph6092375

PMID

19826549

PMCID

PMC2760415

Abstract

We describe a collaborative effort between the U.S., India, and Poland to track acute chemical releases during 2005-2007. In all three countries, fixed facility events were more common than transportation-related events; manufacturing and transportation/warehousing were the most frequently involved industries; and equipment failure and human error were the primary contributing factors. The most commonly released nonpetroleum substances were ammonia (India), carbon monoxide (U.S.) and mercury (Poland). More events in India (54%) resulted in victims compared with Poland (15%) and the U.S. (9%). The pilot program showed it is possible to successfully conduct international surveillance of acute hazardous substances releases with careful interpretation of the findings.

Language: en