At approximately 3:15 p.m. eastern time on Thursday, March 30, Nouryon’s distribution facilty in Burt, New York, experienced an incident that resulted in the decomposition of stored product.
There are no safety concerns to the site or community. Our facility personnel immediately put into action its emergency protocol and contacted the local fire department. The situation was quickly brought under control and there were no injuries as a result of the incident.
We wish to thank the local fire companies and other emergency personnel that quickly and professionally responded to this incident. First responders called to the scene included members of seven volunteer fire companies - Miller Hose, Olcott, Wrights Corners, Barker, Sanborn, Terry’s Corners, and Wolcottsville.
Additionally, we thank the Niagara County HazMat team, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the United States Enivronmental Protection Agency, and the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration who we worked closely with on the investigation and cleanup.
The products, referred to as organic peroxides, are used in a wide varity of applications including automotive parts, footwear, and high-voltage power cables.
Nouryon, a global specialty chemicals leader, is taking steps to prevent similar incidents in the future. Safety is a core value for Nouryon and protecting our employees, as well as the communities where we operate, is paramount to our business.
Statement from Newfane Supervisor John Syracuse:
Nouryon has been a valued member of our community for the past five years. I recently met with the team to tour their facility and to understand the extent of what occurred. I was very impressed with Nouryon’s safety measures, clean-up process, and collaboration with our local, state, and federal health and safety agencies. Their willingness to be transparent during this situation gives me great confidence that they will continue to be a good neighbor and employer.