Officials are investigating incinerator explosion

The company paid a $750,000 penalty last year for improper operations.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

EAST LIVERPOOL — Ohio Environmental Protection Agency officials are investigating an explosion Tuesday at a hazardous waste incinerator.

Mike Settles, an OEPA spokesman, said Waste Technologies Industries has 15 days from the explosion to explain to the state what happened.

WTI spokesman Raymond J. Wayne issued a statement that said an explosion occurred just before 2 p.m. in a pipe as part of the incineration process.

One unnamed WTI worker was taken to the East Liverpool City Hospital for what was believed initially to be a broken collar bone. Settles said the injury was apparently minor.

Settles said a female OEPA emissions monitor who was at the site was knocked off her chair by the explosion. She was not injured. The OEPA has monitors who work at the facility.

A white vapor or cloud was visible for about 15 to 20 minutes after the explosion, which would indicate materials were entering the atmosphere, Settles said.

It’s not known what material may have been in the cloud.

Settles said the OEPA will examine the company’s report on the incident. The company could face action from the state if it released emissions into the air.

The WTI statement said company workers monitored emissions at the edge of its property and in area neighborhoods. According to WTI, the workers “reported readings that would not pose any health hazards.”

Mixing materials

The explosion took place in a pipe that directs vapors to the rotary kiln, which burns wastes.

Settles said two materials were mixed with a third during the disposal process. The first two materials had a history of mixing with no problems during the disposal of the material and fumes.

A third material was added that had a good track record of working well with the first material during disposal. Settles said it isn’t clear if the interaction of the second and third materials created fumes that exploded.

The facility had a similar explosion in July 2006.

Last December, WTI agreed to pay a penalty of $750,000 to the U.S. EPA for failure to operate its vapor collection systems properly.

wilkinson@vindy.com