SPRINGFIELD — More than a thousand gallons of a chemical mix spilled into a retention pond in Springfield.
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The leak at TruTech released 1,400 gallons of water mixed with potassium cyanide and sodium cyanide Wednesday night.
The chemicals used by the company to treat rust on metal were diluted enough that they did not pose a substantial threat to the environment or public health.
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“We do have a sense of some of the root causes,” Shannon Ricciardo, Vice President of TruTech, said. “But I’d like to (wait until) the investigations fully complete before sharing details.”
Chief Jacob King of the Springfield Fire Department explained that although the chemicals initially react with water to create hydrogen cyanide gas, the reaction would occur in less than ten minutes, and the gas would evaporate quickly.
King noted that the department considered issuing a warning to the area, particularly for fishers using the nearby retention pond, but decided against it due to the low concentration of the chemicals.
Employees at TruTech who work with these chemicals regularly use minimal protective gear, such as splash guards, gloves, and glasses, indicating the chemicals’ relatively low hazard level in their diluted state.
King said there is no risk to the public at this time.
The EPA is continuing to run tests on the water as TruTech continues to cooperate with the investigation.
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