European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 01, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine chemical leak undermines Industry s efforts credibility a casualty in West Virginia be Jom Quku Dot Tush those most by Jart Diamond new York times t he chemical Industry suddenly seems alot More risky. The toxic Gas leak at a Union Carbide Plant in Institute w. Va., sending 135people to the Hospital was by no Means the most serious american . But among the pump and regulators. It deadly produced the most alarm in recent memory. Something had changed dramatically both the Industry and ifs critics agreed. The Long Shadow of Bhopal where 2,000 people died last december from a tote teak at a Carbide Plant in India had made Many More americans sensitive to chemical accidents. Even Small leaks were prompting mayoral press conferences in Charleston. W. Va., and news stories nationally. What happened it is generally agreed was a major toss in credibility one that even chemical Industry executives said would not be recovered Lor a Long time. That could translate into the threat of greater regulation and higher costs for the already financially troubled Industry. It could also mean less Public and political support Tor new chemicals and chemical plants or even existing ones. The Industry a particular criticism because the Institute Accident occurred amid a widely publicized Effort by chemical companies since the Bhopal Accident to add new safety equipment and to improve their reputation for responsibility. The Carbide Plant in Institute was a showpiece Tor those changes $5 million was spent on voluntary improvements there. Here we had a company that could not operate in a Safe fashion even with a Public Microscope on  said sen Frank r Lautenberg of new Jersey a state that has Many major chemical plants. It casts doubt on the competence and credibility of the whole Industry. Jon c. Holzman vice president of the chemical manufacturers association added it will be difficult forthe Industry not just for Union Carbide to recover Public Trust. It will even Hurt companies with Good safety  the increased Public alarm is viewed with bitter irony by american chemical makers chemical companies now have the Best worker safety record of any major manufacturing Industry according to the Bureau of labor statistics. On my Benefit tide chemicals provide myriad products from plastics to drugs to foodstuffs. The chemical involved in the Institute Accident. A Scarb oxime is an ingredient for the pesticide Temsik. Worth millions of dollars to Farmers in higher yields of potatoes Cotton sugar beets peanuts and other crops. Out the Industry has not gotten those ideas across very Well its executives say. Many people Don t perceive that chemicals provide a Benefit said a. Sherbum Hart Union Carbide s vice president of Public affairs. Our products Don t come to them As a chemical but As a shopping bag or a shirt wrapped from the  As a result he said there is a tear of chemicals not related to Plant  for years that fear was checked by the Lack of a major disaster. Then came the Bhopal a cider. Suddenly the possibility of much higher risk became palpable. In recent months the chemical Industry asserted that Bhopal was a unique aberration and that such a disaster could not happen in the United states. That assertion Many a Industry experts say has been undermined by Union Carbide itself. For instance the Day Carbide officials said publicly that the a Ricarti oxide was relatively Safe a congressional sub committe produced a Carbide memo portraying the chemical As very dangerous. Then it was disclosed that the company s new computerized emergency response system was not programmed for the leaking chemical. By blaming it own employ and equipment for the toxic Gas leak Union Carbide corp. Has fallen deeper into a corporate quagmire of litigation overburdened management and Public cynicism about sunday september 1, 1935 its concern for safety. Carbide which disclosed the results of an internal investigation in Institute a week ago said that for 10 Days before the aug. 11 leak 32 employees had been in a position to know that Gas might escape from a chemical tank. Safety alarms were out of service a broken gauge had not been fixed and Basic safety procedures were ignored the company said. The company Contri Tely said it had dispatched managers around the world to re examine safety procedures. The Industry Tays it is changing. Chemical companies Are providing More detailed information to the Public about the hazardous substances they Are making. Alter the uproar Over Carbide s 2o-Mlnule delay in notifying local authorities Foo Wing the leak chairman Warren m. Anderson said it would notify local governments immediately no matter How Small the leak. We re taking that judgment away from Plant supervisors he said. There in a base of support from which the Industry can build most authorities agree. West Virginia chemical workers have paraded in support of Carbide. Mayor Michael Roark of nearby Charleston said the company provides a healthy number of jobs and suggested that people Deal with the risks of the Industrial  How mar Lyth Industry has been damaged remains to be seen. The loss of credibility is being compared by critics to that which crippled nuclear Power after the 1979 Accident at three mile Island. The american chemical Industry is larger and stronger. But it is Tacang increasing Competition from abroad and some experts believe it is not invincible. Bhopal and Institute were warning signs said a. Karim Ahmed a biochemist and research director of Tho natural resources defense Council an environmental Law firm. Ii they Are not heeded and quickly people Are just going to become sick of this Industry he said and the Industry will not survive. The stars and stripes Page 13