Chemical Spill Explained By Levittown Company

LEVITTOWN, PA —Latex operations have not resumed at the Bristol Township plant where a recent chemical spill into a creek leading to the Delaware River caused concerns over drinking water contamination, company officials said.

Trinseo PLC, a specialty material solutions provider, said in a statement on its website that the March 24 spill was caused after a pipe carrying a non-toxic "latex emulsion product" above ground from the production area of its Altuglas plant to a holding tank failed.

The company said that 8,100 gallons of the material overflowed an on-site containment system and entered Otter Creek through a stormwater drain before flowing into the Delaware River.

The material was about 50 percent water with the remainder latex polymer, the company said.

Latex emulsion is a white liquid used in Altuglas’ downstream production processes associated with acrylic plastics that are in turn used in medical, automotive, and other various end applications. Its pigmentation makes the material visible in surface water, Trinseo stated.

Tests of water samples conducted by government agencies and water utilities throughout early last week detected no contamination of drinking water from the released material.

Testing was conducted by the Philadelphia Water Department, Aqua Pennsylvania, New Jersey American Water, Burlington Township (NJ) Public Works, and the Environmental Protection Agency and concluded last Wednesday.

After consulting with the regulatory agencies, Trinseo said it has restarted compounding lines at its Bristol Township plant.

But the company said that latex operations will not resume until the cause of the release is identified and corrected.

The Bucks County Emergency Management Agency will continue to monitor the ongoing cleanup efforts.

Trinseo said it is currently conducting a "thorough review and analysis" of all material-handling processes and equipment at the Bristol Township plant.

Trinseo said it continues to work closely with government authorities in response to the spill.

"We are extremely grateful to our community first responders for their speed and professionalism, and to state and federal agencies for their assistance in containment and cleanup. Trinseo and the regulatory agencies have tested water samples in the surrounding area to confirm that material associated with the release is not a threat to people or wildlife," the company said.