Extreme Temps, Extreme Risks: The Chemical Hazard Multiplier

Climate change is affecting the balance between chemical storage and safety. As temperatures soar to unprecedented heights and plummet to record lows, the risks associated with storing and transporting hazardous substances have risen.

Whether used by businesses or government agencies, chemicals are everywhere. Yet, many organisations that handle these substances may not fully understand the risks involved. As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, it’s crucial to recognise the “heat hazard multiplier” effect and take proactive measures to prevent accidents.

Over 825 hazardous chemical incidents have occurred in the United States between January 1, 2021, and October 15, 2023. That’s one every other day, on average.*

The Links Between Climate Change and Chemical Hazards

Warmer temperatures, extreme weather events and increased air pollution all contribute to the heightened impact of harmful substances. Here’s a closer look at how these factors are connected:

• Warmer temperatures increase toxic chemical exposure.
• Higher temperatures promote the vaporisation and breakdown of harmful substances.
• Extreme weather events (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires) can release concentrated toxic chemicals and impact bioaccumulation, persistence, mobility and toxicity.
• Climate change exacerbates the health impacts from air pollution.
• Volatile organic compounds contribute to smog, worsening respiratory issues (e.g., asthma, COPD).

Impacts of Climate Change on the Fate of Contaminants Through Extreme Weather Events

Source: Bolan, S. et al. (2024) Impacts of climate change on the fate of contaminants through extreme weather events. Science of The Total Environment. Vol. 909. Accessed online, Sept 2024: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972307016X

This diagram from a recent Australian study illustrates how extreme weather events can impact the fate of contaminants. The study underscores the need for collaboration between environmental chemists and climate change experts to update risk assessment and remediation strategies.

What about extreme cold?

While higher temperatures can exacerbate the risk of chemical hazards, extremely low temperatures pose their own set of challenges. A stark example occurred in February 2021, when a cold snap in Texas caused widespread power outages. This led to hundreds of emissions incidents at oil, gas and chemical plants, resulting in the release of over three million pounds of toxic chemicals in the Houston area.

Situation Analysis: The Growing Threat of Extreme Heat on Chemical Storage Sites

Extreme heat events increase the chances of accidents, spills or chemical reactions that endanger public safety. EcoOnline data analyst Callum Reay examines the extreme heat impacts in 10 major US cities to find out what the future holds—and why it’s critical to take action now.

The Dangers of Heat-Induced Hazards

The following are some of the primary hazards associated with transporting and storing chemicals in high ambient temperatures:

Increased Volatility and Flammability

• Vaporisation: High temperatures can cause chemicals to vaporise more rapidly, increasing the risk of inhalation and potentially creating flammable or explosive atmospheres.
• Ignition: Volatile chemicals can ignite more easily in hot conditions, especially if they come into contact with sparks or other heat sources.

Chemical Decomposition

• Reactivity: Some chemicals may become more reactive or unstable in high temperatures, leading to chemical reactions, explosions or the release of toxic substances.
• Corrosion: Heat can accelerate the corrosion of containers, increasing the risk of leaks and spills. ??

Container Pressure and Rupture

• Expansion: The volume of liquids and gasses can expand with increasing temperature, leading to increased pressure within containers.
• Failure: If containers cannot withstand the increased pressure, they may rupture, causing spills and potential injuries.

Health Risks to Workers Handling Chemicals

• Heat Stress: Working in hot conditions can lead to heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke, which can be particularly dangerous when handling chemicals. ??
• Exposure: Increased evaporation and potential leaks can increase the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals, leading to respiratory problems, skin irritation or other health effects.

Environmental Impacts?

• Spills: If spills or leaks occur in hot weather, this can exacerbate the impact on human health and the environmental consequences, particularly if the chemicals contaminate water sources or soil.

Boiling Over: Protecting Chemicals From Extreme Temperatures

As the world grapples with rising temperatures, the safe storage and transportation of chemicals have become increasingly challenging. In this video, Gina Vanderlin, Health and Safety Program Manager at PSEG, and Hamish Robertson, Technical Quality and Compliance Manager at EcoOnline, discuss the specific hazards posed by extreme heat to chemical storage and offer practical strategies for mitigation.

3 Takeaways on Chemical Risks and Prevention

• Chemical reactivity increases with temperature: Extreme heat poses significant risks to chemical storage due to its ability to increase pressure in tanks, accelerate chemical reactions and destabilise volatile substances like dichloromethane and peroxides.
• Flammable chemicals behave unpredictably. During heatwaves, higher temperatures can lead to flammability characteristics that are different from the description in the safety data sheet—potentially leading to explosions and fires.
• Contingency planning is essential: Proper storage conditions, regular inspections and monitoring of systems are crucial for mitigating the risks of extreme heat on chemical storage. Smaller quantities, satellite storage and careful transportation practices can also help reduce hazards.

Potential Solutions:

• Be aware of the heat hazard multiplier effect
• Study the properties of the chemicals under your custody to understand potential heat implications
• Consider how the risks might be raised and whether additional safety measures will be required
• Consider the implications of storage infrastructure and transfer equipment and vehicles
• Consider whether chemical logistics should be paused during hot weather events
• Provide additional training and PPE
• Routinely check weather conditions before transporting chemicals
• Consider temperature-controlled storage units
• Review fire protection systems and check that they are adequate for potential temperature-related chemical risks

Learn More About This Situation

US faces almost daily hazardous chemical accidents, research suggests — The Guardian

Chemical transport: Cefic response guidelines — European Coatings

Chemical Incident Tracker — Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters

Impacts of climate change on the fate of contaminants through extreme weather events — ScienceDirect

Five Reasons Why Climate Change and Toxic Chemicals Are Connected — Habitable Future?

Safe storage and use of chemicals in hot weather — University College London

News Stories We’re Following

An Unusual October Hurricane Is Growing in the Atlantic — The Weather Network??

Tropical Storm Kirk could become major hurricane — USA Today

Why was Hurricane Helene so damaging? — BBC

Climate change may have caused as much as 50% more rainfall during Hurricane Helene in some parts of Georgia and the Carolinas — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Helene brought 40T gallons of rain — Andrew Barker , LinkedIn News?

*Notes and Sources

Data

All data has been created by EcoOnline using outputs from the EC-Earth3-Veg-LR model. This model is part of the Phase 6 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6).

Citations

D?scher, R, (et al): The EC-Earth3 Earth System Model for the Climate Model Intercomparison Project 6, Geoscientific Model Development. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2020-446, in review, 2021.

EC-Earth Consortium (EC-Earth) (2020). EC-Earth-Consortium EC-Earth3-Veg-LR model output prepared for CMIP6 historical (v20200217), SSP1-1.9 (v20201201), SSP2-4.5 (v20201123) and SSP5-8.5 (v20201201) experiments. Earth System Grid Federation.

IPCC Assessment Report 6 Atlas:

Iturbide, M., Fernández, J., Gutiérrez, J.M., Bedia, J., Cimadevilla, E., Díez-Sierra, J., Manzanas, R., Casanueva, A., Ba?o-Medina, J., Milovac, J., Herrera, S., Cofi?o, A.S., San Martín, D., García-Díez, M., Hauser, M., Huard, D., Yelekci, ?. (2021) Repository supporting the implementation of FAIR principles in the IPCC-WG1 Atlas. Zenodo, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3691645. Available from: https://github.com/IPCC-WG1/Atlas

Gutiérrez, J.M., R.G. Jones, G.T. Narisma, L.M. Alves, M. Amjad, I.V. Gorodetskaya, M. Grose, N.A.B. Klutse, S. Krakovska, J. Li, D. Martínez-Castro, L.O. Mearns, S.H. Mernild, T. Ngo-Duc, B. van den Hurk, and J.-H. Yoon, 2021: Atlas. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth ? Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L.Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K.Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelek?i, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press. In Press. Interactive Atlas available from https://interactive-atlas.ipcc.ch/