Officials say yellow chemical plume in New Albany ‘no longer threat to public’
By WLKY Staff
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NEW ALBANY, Indiana (WLKY) — Officials are saying a yellow chemical plume released into the sky in New Albany is no longer a threat to the public.
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According to Kent Barrow, with Floyd County EMA, there was a leak Tuesday at a Blue Grass Chemical Specialties facility on Industrial Boulevard. The first call about the leak came in around 10:15 a.m.
Barrow said a tank of nitrate solution used to clean metal, they did not specify which kind, overflowed. A visible yellow plume was released into the air, but has since dissipated and is no longer a threat, according to Barrow.
They have not yet determined how much of the pollutant was released.
Paul McCauley, vice president at Blue Grass Specialties, said it’s similar to vehicle exhaust — not good to breathe in, and those who did could experience respiratory issues.
He said while the inside of the facility was “rather contaminated,” no one from the plant was hospitalized.
The cause of the overflow will be determined through an internal investigation.
Officials said this type of leak has happened before, but not to this scale.
McCauley would not elaborate on what they did to contain the leak.
They had asked Mount Tabor Elementary and people who live near the plant to shelter in place, but it was lifted just after noon.
I-265 was briefly shut down, but has since reopened.
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