I just love picking out lies. The Lubrizol plant in Paris leaked a chemical called mercaptan which is the additive put in natural gas to give it a smell. Prior to that folks were overcome by gas leaks without a clue. Natural gas has no smell of its' own. Problem here is that the French authorities stated that there was no problem. They said the gas was non toxic, move along nothing to see here. Problem is it isn't non toxic as listed on this MSDS sheet:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0425.pdf
Granted it would take a fairly high concentration to make you very ill but none the less even low levels for long periods of time would result in illness. And here's some unusual facts. The exposure limits for short term exposure are the same as long term for a worker. Oh that's right we're not considered workers. How foolish of me. And if this was such a harmless gas then why is it listed by the Department of Transportation as "Flammable Gas"? It's flash point is 0 F.
Now this might be but a tiny sample of something that we should not concern ourselves with but then stop to think of all the other toxins being thrown at us on a daily basis. You may be fortunate enough to live in the boonies where the air is fresh and clean but most of us live in or near an urban area with a barrage of air pollutants.
Next up to keep you up at night, what's lurking in our water?
6 comments:
Damn near impossible anymore to find a good small drill bit to drill a fricking hole in metal. The smallest I could find in Monkeyville was .040, it never touched that stainless and I broke it trying.
I've gotten a brand new .061 bit a tiny ways through it but may break it before it gets through. Fucking cheap bits.
mais non!
Don't worry, the French won't notice the gas leak. It smells just like those weird unpronouncable foods they're always eating.
This is your field, Demeur, so I defer to your inside knowledge. Still, logic tells me French authorities probably said the leak presented no threat based on the amount leaked, dispersal conditions and prospects for dilution.
What you probably have a handle on is how readily the stuff breaks down or is neutralized by the elements. For instance, is mercaptan a substance that could get into the soil and later on cause problems for someone (maybe an asthmatic) who inhaled some dust with the residue in it?
Oh well, as DuPont used to say, "Better living through chemistry."
Yeah I don't trust people who would eat slugs.
Slugs? Oh they're wonderful with a dash of salt!
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