Derailed train near Washington leaks hazardous material

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Derailed train near Washington leaks hazardous material

By David Lawder
May 1, 2016

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A CSX freight train derailed in northeastern Washington, D.C. on Sunday, spilling hazardous material near a city subway station, and emergency workers were cleaning up the site after plugging the leak, officials and the railroad company said.

Thirteen cars were overturned in the early hours of the morning but there were no injuries. The substance that leaked was sodium hydroxide, used to produce household products including paper, soap and detergent.

"We don't know how much leaked. That's the process, trying to figure that out. The fumes should not cause you any problems," District of Columbia Fire Department Deputy Chief John Donnelly said at a news conference.

The District fire department did not order evacuations around the site of the accident, which happened near a city subway station and about three miles (5 km) from the White House.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/freight-train-derails-washington-cars-leaking-hazardous-chemicals-131851024--finance.html?nhp=1

[elleng]

1. 'Thanks.'

x-posting this in DC.

[2naSalit]

2. The fumes should not cause you any problems..."

FUMES! Hello! If it's not AIR, it's probably toxic!

[redwitch]

4. Long as ya don't breathe it. nt

[cstanleytech]

5. Hmmm ?

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=248&tid=45

[Ford_Prefect]

3. Sodium Hydroxide is also known as Caustic soda or Lye and is very toxic in contact with skin.

This spill is unlikely to travel from the site but it is far from benign.

[NNadir]

6. Sodium hydroxide takes up carbon dioxide from the air; is neutralized to give sodium carbonate...

...and with enough CO₂ will make sodium bicarbonate, which is baking soda. More conveniently and undoubtedly faster would be to pour dilute solutions of acetic acid, vinegar, on it, to give sodium acetate.

Sodium hydroxide - the main ingredient in many drain cleaners - is toxic on ingestion since it can dissolve tissues before being neutralized by stomach acid, and corrosive on skin contact - if one spills it on one hands (I have done this) your hands feel a little soapy from the saponification of fats in one's skin, but nevertheless this type of spill is fairly easy to achieve remediation.

Any fumes are probably just steam, since the dissolution of sodium hydroxide in water is fairly exothermic.

[jmowreader]

7. I didn't know sodium hydroxide HAD fumes!

Fortunately, cleaning up the spill will be very easy: a few Bobcats, some guys with brooms and coal shovels, and a handful of dump trucks to cart the shit off in. Sodium hydroxide is a white crystalline solid.