Residents of Metropolis, Illinois have been ordered to shelter in place following a release of uranium hexafluoride at the Honeywell . The accident occurred at 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26. Guards have advised people to have told people to shelter in place, close windows, and turn off A/C. Wind maps indicate it may move into St. Louis, Mo. UF6 is very dangerous. It emits neutrons like plutonium and HF [hydrogen fluoride] acid, a deadly corrosive, is created on contact with water vapor. Honeywell reports that the substance was contained to the plant. See below for Steelworkers videos on Facebook that differ.
The Honeywell plant converts raw uranium into uranium hexafluoride. It is pumped across the Ohio River for the manufacture of nuclear power at the Paducah plant.
Contact with the chemical results in immediate burns. The same with hexafluoride, where an accidental release at Special Metals severely injured (given up for dead but recovered) a worker about a decade ago. A release of uranium hexafluoride at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant nearly killed advocate/whistle blower, Jeff Walburn, who has crusaded since for mandatory enforcement of safety standards at nuclear plants.
Walburn would have died had not another employee told physicians at the hospital the exact mix of the exposure so he could obtain proper treatment.
Honeywell issued a statement that the leak has been contained.
Editor’s Note: Honeywell Metropolis Works plant has had multiple Uranium Hexafluoride leaks in the last 10 years. It’s also had far too many protocol violations for which its been fined, has been sued for it’s negligence which cost Honeywell millions. It’s had numerous incidents that resulted in employees being injured seriously. Some former employees have suffered and died from agonizing cancers, which many suspect was the result exposures while working at this site. And Honeywell has been at war with the United Steel Workers Union for years, battling over contract negotiations & locking out the union workers multiple times.
SEE STEELWORKERS VIDEO ON FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=984616291554159&set=vb.139878029361327&type=3&theater Excerpts from videos published by Steelworker Local 7-669 Union support page — Part 1:
“Wind’s blowing to the west… See the haze… that’s all release — UF6… You can see the spray… they’re trying to mitigate it” — Part 2: “There’s the plume of UF6 leaving Honeywell’s property… No fog out… There’s the cloud of either UF6 or HF going right over the fence”
Print 
PDF