We are praying for the four workers who were hospitalized after an ammonia explosion at Formosa Plastics in Baton Rouge. Unfortunately, we are not surprised that Formosa Plastics, a company with a history of worker deaths and serious environmental pollution, is yet again in the spotlight for putting profit over human health. A fire at Formosa's Point Comfort, Texas plant in 2013 resulted in 16 worker hospitalizations. A 2023 vinyl chloride leak at Formosa Baton Rouge was at concentrations more than 50 times OSHA's safe limit. In fact, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality data show that Formosa Baton Rouge has had at least 36 emergency incidents since 2014, many of them involving dangerous and carcinogenic chemicals.

Ammonia has been called a "fuel of the future," but it is a substance that harms human health and is also toxic to fish if it enters the water. Ammonia gas is often compressed to a liquid, which requires both intense pressure and using high amounts of energy to maintain a temperature of -27F/-33C. During hurricane events, where plants experience power loss or extinguishing of flares, compressed ammonia can be extremely dangerous as it begins to heat up inside storage tanks. After Hurricane Ida, CF Industries and the Cornerstone facility in Waggaman both released ammonia. Even during normal operations, explosions or releases at ammonia plants are not uncommon. On Dec. 1, 2022, Donaldsonville Primary School was evacuated due to an ammonia leak at CF Industries.

Yet more proposed ammonia plants are being welcomed into our neighborhoods with open arms by our elected officials, despite the serious concerns of local residents.

SHARON LAVIGNE

founder and director of RISE St. James