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Freeport residents allowed to return home
Published November 5, 2009
FREEPORT — Dow Chemical Co. officials announced late Wednesday that residents displaced after a urethane pipeline was found leaking 10 days ago can return to their homes.
Repairs to the pipeline, however, are expected to continue for at least the next couple of weeks, Dow spokeswoman Tracie Copeland said. Residents can return home before repairs are finished because crews have determined there are no possible health risks associated with the leak.
“We’ve been monitoring the area outside Dow property and in the neighborhood since the leak was discovered and no TDI emissions were discovered,” Copeland said of the leaked chemical, toluene diisocyanate. “They’ve shown none during this entire time. We got to a point where Dow saw that it was safe and it would be safe for the people to come back to their community.”
The petrochemical giant has paid for displaced residents’ hotel accommodations, food and other needs since the evacuation. Hotel accommodations for the relocated residents will remain available through check-out time Friday, Copeland said.
Some showed interest in returning Wednesday, while others are taking their time because of other commitments, Copeland said.
“If they’ve got jobs, got kids that they need to move around — we want to give them plenty of time,” she said.
Residents can continue to use previously provided vouchers for any remaining incidental expenses associated with their temporary relocation, she said.
Freeport police will continue to patrol the neighborhood as residents return home, City Manager Jeff Pynes said. Re-entry will be limited to residents of the relocation zone until Friday.
“We’re going to let residents in and anyone that’s going to visit someone,” Pynes said. “But the police are going to be there to make sure someone doesn’t get in there to take advantage while someone is still away.”
Residents of 65 homes in northernmost Freeport were told to evacuate Oct. 26 after Dow crews found a leak in a pipeline carrying toluene diisocyanate, an intermediate used in production of cushions like mattresses and pillows.
There has been no known criminal activity in the area — bordered by Avenue U to the north, Zapata to the west, Avenue R to the south and Terry to the east — since residents were displaced, Pynes said.
Residents and city officials questioned Dow’s handling of the situation, saying the company should have been informed immediately after crews found the leak, which was at 8 a.m. Oct. 25. The city was not told about the leak until almost a full day later.
Exposure to the chemical can cause respiratory problems, nausea and vomiting, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Dow officials said they did not tell the public immediately after detecting the leak, which was within plant borders, because it was most important to secure the area and make sure there were no emissions releases.
“Until we put together a repair plan and saw what precautions we needed to take, that’s when we told the people as well as the city of Freeport,” Dow Vice President and Texas Operations site director Gary Hockstra said at a press conference after the announcement of the evacuation. “We really needed to understand all the steps that needed to be taken in order to get that pipeline secured and then safe and then safely repaired.”
Dow experts will remain available to answer any questions from residents through the 238-CAER (2237) telephone line, Copeland said.
Nathaniel Lukefahr covers industry for The Facts. Contact him at 979-237-0151.
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