The Associated Press
RALEIGH - A bill that would require more frequent inspections and
closer monitoring for companies that store hazardous waste won the
approval of a House committee on Thursday.
The
legislation, which moves to the full House, seeks to prevent problems
such as the Oct. 9 fire at a chemical plant in Apex. The bill
incorporates recommendations made by the Hazardous Waste Materials Task
Force, which was formed after the blaze.
The
measure also would require such facilities to provide information to
emergency workers about the types of chemicals in storage and urges the
state to review ways to increase financing for special state medical
assistance teams that respond to waste accidents.
The
fire at the EQ Industrial Services plant blanketed parts of Apex in a
yellow-green haze and prompted town officials to urge as many as 17,000
people to evacuate their homes for two days.
The
accident demonstrated how little had been done since the Sept. 11,
2001, attacks to make chemical facilities in the United States safer,
said Rob Thompson, policy advocate for N.C. Public Interest Research
Group.
"This
legislation will provide our residents and first responders with the
information they need to make safe and effective decisions in the event
of another explosion," Thompson said.
The
bill would require commercial hazardous-waste facilities to renew their
permits at least every five years instead of the current 10-year cycle.
Property owners would be notified of the permitting process if they
live within a quarter-mile of a proposed storage site.
