Citation

Wein LM. Issues Sci. Technol. 2006; 23(1): 31-33.

Affiliation

Department of Management Science, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business, Stanford, CA, United States

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering and Institute of Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Various security initiatives required to make the US private industry secure from chemical terrorism are discussed. The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents many of the nation's chemical manufacturing plants, has instructed its member facilities to undertake a set of security initiatives that can help in the prevention of attacks and accidents at the chemical plant. The US government must resort to measures that prevent toxic gases from being released in a heavily populated area. Hazardous shipments must be routed away from densely populated areas to prevent tank cars, which are filled with chlorine and anhydrous ammonia, from injuring or killing tens of thousands of people. The Chemical Security and Safety Act bill introduced in March 2006, coupled with Biden's legislation banning hazardous rail shipments in densely populated areas, would reduce the possibility of a catastrophic chemical attack.

Language: en