Risk Assessment for Hazardous Waste in Palestine, TX

Objectives

• Identify the hazardous waste sites and handlers in Palestine, TX

• Discuss the Hazardous Waste Sites’ proximity to schools

• Discuss the major risks that could lead to release of hazardous substances

• Discuss steps that can be taken to reduce risk

Methodology

• Analyze data from the Forest Research Institute

• Create maps based on data

• Analyze risks and emergency response plans in place for Palestine, TX

Economy of Palestine

• Agriculture– Cattle– Hogs– Vegetables– Hay

• Manufacturing• Mineral Production• Tourism

• 20 Waste Sites

• Releases from:

• Wal-Mart

• Animal Processing Plants

• Deep Well Injection

• Construction Work

• Power Plants

• Missouri Pacific Rail

• Balloon Base

• Texaco

• TX Dept. of Criminal Justice

• Children are a very sensitive population

• 75% of schools in Palestine within 1 mile of a hazardous waste handler

• A plan is needed to protect the schools in case of a hazardous release

Largest Risks to Waste Sites

• Tornados• 30 tornados in the past 45 years

• Nov. 15, 1987 F3 tornado

• Destroys 128 homes

• Destroys 86 businesses

• Heavily damaged the city’s industrial park.

• Estimated cost - $15 million

• Thunderstorm Wind Events

• Storm that produces winds of 50 + knots (57.6 mph)

• Average of 7.1 events over the past decade

• $940,000 of property damage

Flooding

• 11 sites in 100 year floodplain

• 19 recorded flood events from 1994 – 2001

• Oct. 8, 1994 a flash flood washes out several roads and causes $50,000 worth of damage

Hydrology

• All hazardous waste sites in Palestine are located on top of a major aquifer

Conclusions

• Highest risk of hazardous waste release come from natural events (flooding, tornados)

• Hazardous waste release emergency response plan should be drafted to deal with each cause of release

• Parents should be informed of the hazardous waste sites and the types of waste being handled near schools

• Evacuation plans should be implemented in schools in case of a hazardous waste release

• Cleanup/Mitigation plans should be made by the city• Palestine has allotted $5.6 million in this year’s budget for

municipal and wastewater facility improvement, but none for hazardous waste