US agency hit with lawsuit in wake of toxic chemical explosion: 'The stuff of nightmares'

Three groups are suing the Environmental Protection Agency in the hopes of banning a dangerous chemical, according to reports from WHYY.

What happened?

In June of 2019, a hydrocarbon gas leak caused a series of explosions at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery. The explosion released over 5,000 pounds of hydrofluoric acid, a toxic chemical, into the surrounding environment.

While the fire, explosion, and gas caused by the incident led to no direct deaths, they raised serious concerns for nearby residents about the presence of oil refineries and their potential dangers. 

A petition was recently filed to ban the use of hydrogen fluoride, but the EPA rejected it. As a result, the Clean Air Council, Communities for a Better Environment, and the Natural Resources Defense Council have come together to sue the EPA.

The EPA's mission is "to protect human health and the environment," per the EPA itself. 

The routine use of this deadly chemical is a disaster waiting to happen — banning or restricting its use could save lives.

Why is hydrogen fluoride concerning?

Hydrogen fluoride is a colorless chemical compound that can either be a liquid or a gas. When dissolved in water, it's called hydrofluoric acid. Hydrogen fluoride is commonly used in refrigerators, but it's also used in herbicides, gasoline, light bulbs, and industrial cleaning. 

Inhaling hydrogen fluoride can cause respiratory issues and death. Contact with the skin can cause severe rashes and burns. If ingested, even a small amount of hydrogen fluoride can be fatal. That's why releasing thousands of pounds of it into the surrounding environment is unacceptable and dangerous. 

Annie Fox, an attorney at the Clean Air Council, told WHYY: "This chemical…is the stuff of nightmares."

What's being done to stop the use of hydrogen fluoride?

The battle to ban hydrogen fluoride has been a long one. In 2015, an explosion at ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery nearly resulted in another catastrophic release of hydrofluoric acid. Local California groups have been fighting to ban its use since the accident.

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The lawsuit with the EPA is still pending, but the groups are working to raise awareness about the dangers of hydrogen fluoride. 

"If we are successful, we will never know the impact that we had, because a major disaster will have been prevented before it could happen," Fox said, per WHYY.

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