Well being officers warn Philadelphia residents of Delaware River chemical spill, recommend ingesting bottled water. ‘Like the fabric you discover in paint’

Bucks County well being officers mentioned Sunday {that a} leak late Friday night on the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township spilled between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons of a water-based latex ending answer into the river. Officers mentioned it’s non-toxic to people and no identified antagonistic well being results have been reported within the county.

Mike Carroll, deputy managing director for Philadelphia’s Workplace of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability, mentioned there had been no signal of contaminants in metropolis water however officers “can’t be 100% sure” traces received’t present up Sunday afternoon. He referred to as well being dangers from the fabric “very low if current in any respect” however mentioned officers wished folks to bear in mind so they may think about using bottled water to drink or cook dinner with to additional decrease any danger.

Officers mentioned intakes to town’s Baxter Consuming Water Therapy Plant have been closed after the spill however they have been opened in a single day to keep up minimal water ranges to keep away from harm to gear and to produce water for hearth security and different different important wants.

State environmental officers are main the response. Pennsylvania American Water mentioned its Yardley Water Therapy plant about 15 miles (24 kilometers) upstream of the discharge stays unaffected. Aqua mentioned it shut off the consumption to its Bristol water system to guard clients and had seen no affect from the spill.

Trinseo senior vice chairman of producing and engineering Tim Thomas told WPVI-TV Saturday that the fabric posed no danger to the general public. “It’s like the fabric you discover in paint,” he instructed the station. “It’s your typical acrylic paint you will have in your own home, that’s what actually this materials is, in a water base.”