A cleanup operation is underway in Detroit, Mich., after police say a dangerous green chemical was found oozing onto a highway.
In a tweet on Saturday, metro Detroit police said the chemical — identified as hexavalent chromium — had leaked from the basement of a building down into the ground and found its way through a drain that emptied onto Interstate 696 in Madison Heights.
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated that once the chemical came up thru the drain, it froze into a yellow blob,” police wrote in a tweet.
Hexavalent chromium is a dangerous chemical known to cause cancer.
It is most commonly produced during industrial processes like plating and can cause damage to a person’s eyes, skin, kidneys, liver and respiratory system.
Environmentalist Erin Brockovich brought the dangers of hexavalent chromium to light back in the 1990s when she helped to sue California utility Pacific Gas & Electric for contaminating the water supply with the chemical.
Jill Greenberg, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy told the Washington Post there is no imminent risk to the public.
She said the chemical is most dangerous if touched or inhaled.
The chemical appeared to come from a closed electroplating business nearby, Greenberg told the paper.
Get daily National news
In 2016, the department forced the closure of the business after hundreds of containers of hazardous waste were located.
According to a Detroit Free Press report, the business’ owner, Gary Sayers, is currently serving time in federal prison for storing the waste illegally.
In a Facebook post, Candice Miller, Macomb County’s public works commissioner, said staff were working to ensure the chemical was captured before it could migrate to Lake St. Clair.
“Our number one priority is protect and preserve the water quality in our magnificent Great Lakes,” she said.
Police said the cleanup would likely take all weekend, and the highway could be closed until at least Monday.
Police said the plan to dispose of the chemical is to “bring in a type of excavator, scoop up the frozen waste and place it into a safe container.”
Officers urged the public to exercise caution when travelling in the area, saying there will be workers “and a yellow blob” present.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.