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Jul 16, 2007 11:18 pm US/Eastern
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Balto. Wants Congress To Crack Down On Chemicals
by Dennis Edwards
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
Baltimore is adding its support to a national effort to get Congress to crack down on the manufacture and transport of hazardous chemicals.
In 2001, much of downtown Baltimore was shut down when a railway fire in Mt. Royal injured 22 firefighters. It was carrying fluorosalicic acid, a chemical that can cause severe lung, skin and and throat burns.
"Every day, millions and millions of Americans, including people in Baltimore, are put at risk unnecessarily with exposure to deadly chemicals like chlorine gas," said Johanna Neumann, Md. Public Interest Research Group.
At a City Council meeting, Vice President Robert Curran introduced a resolution asking manufacturers to stop the manufacture and targeted transport of anhydrous ammonia, chlorine, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride.
"There are substitutes that they can use instead of those toxic materials for the folks who work at these plants," Curran said.
Sponsors and supporters of this legislation are hoping to use it to send a major message to Washington. The resolution adds Baltimore to a growing list of cities asking Congress to intervene. The move to safer alternatives to chemicals that can kill in an accident or become targets for terrorists could also help in cases like Swann Park where arsenic was recently found in soil samples.
"Basically the company knew there was toxic pollution on-site but didn't tell that to the public. This would actually require the company to use safer alternatives if it's feasible," said Neumann.
Council passed the resolution on an unanimous vote. At this stage, the action is largely symbolic.
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