美国得克萨斯州休斯敦地区杜邦钛白粉R105是美国化工业重镇，这里分布着230多家化厂、33座炼油厂和绵延数百公里的运输管道。飓风“哈维”来袭后，人们担心这些厂发生危险化学品泄漏事件，造成严重环境污染。

　　这一担心得到印证，一家化厂8月30日发生爆炸，而且面临再次爆炸的风险。其他厂也有化学品泄漏、油罐漏油、管道泄漏的报告。业内人士说，“哈维”暴露了得州化工业安全生产和应灾能力的短板，也暴露了监管部门的漏洞。

　　多米诺骨牌

　　发生爆炸的化厂是阿科玛公司设在得州克罗斯比的一家分厂，距离休斯敦市区40公里。这家厂主要生产可用于医药、建筑等产业的各种过氧化物。该厂被洪水淹后，备用发电机停止工作，供电中断，一些需要冷藏的化学物温度升高，发生分解反应，继而冒烟着火，引发爆炸。

　　阿科玛公司8月31日说，厂可能再次爆炸。厂周边2.4公里半径范围的居民已经全部疏散，没有人员受伤，是否造成环境污染暂不确定。

　　由于“哈维”刚刚过境，不少厂的灾情不明。美国环境保护局正在与得州环保部门合作，查点这些化厂的情况。得州环境质量委员会发言人安德烈娅 莫罗称，目前暂未收到其他“值得担心”的报告。

　　不过根据美联社报道，“哈维”登陆的前后11天里，多家炼油厂和化厂存在至少20多次空气污染物排放超标。一个储存原油的油罐倾倒泄漏，一条运输危险化学品的管道发生泄漏，至少一家炼油厂发生石油泄漏。

　　美国化学安全与危险调查局前调查员比尔 霍伊尔说：“事情还没完。显然这些厂采取的行动和预防措施不足。阿科玛公司事件解决后，这一地区还有更多的多米诺骨牌会倒下。”

　　监管漏洞

　　美国墨西哥湾坐落着大片化工业区，这里飓风多发，尤其是2005年飓风“卡特里娜”来袭后，这些厂的安全生产和应灾能力按道理讲应该有所改善。

　　不过，按照美联社说法，由于联邦监管条例自1992年就没更新过，这些厂改善安全生产和应灾能力纯粹出于自愿，没有法律约束。

　　加利福尼亚州劳资关系部前官员迈克尔 威尔逊介绍，2013年得州韦斯特一家化肥厂爆炸导致15人死亡后，联邦政府才开始重视此事，奥巴马卸任前确实出台了一套更为严格的安全生产法规，但特朗普上台后宣布暂缓实行这些法规。

　　威尔逊说，许多化工业企业利用这一监管漏洞，不愿掏钱升级应灾设施和技术。

　　美国化学安全与危险调查局局长瓦妮莎 萨瑟兰警告说，随着极端天气发生频率增高，类似阿科玛公司厂爆炸事件将会更为普遍，堵住监管漏洞势在必行。

A Huge Basics The Hurricane Harvey exposes and beautifies industrial shortcomings

The Houston, Texas area of ​​the United States is the center of the U.S. chemical industry. There are more than 230 chemical plants, 33 refineries and hundreds of kilometers of transport pipelines. Hurricane "Harvey" hit, people are worried about the leakage of hazardous chemicals in these factories, causing serious environmental pollution. The fears of

have been confirmed. A chemical plant exploded on August 30 and is at risk of another explosion. Other factories also have reports of chemical spills, oil spills and pipe leaks. Insiders said that "Harvey" exposed the shortcomings of Texas's chemical industry's safety in production and disaster response capability, and also exposed the loopholes in the regulatory authorities.

DOMINO

The exploding chemical plant was Arkema's division in Crosby, Texas, 40 kilometers from downtown Houston. The factory mainly produces various peroxides that can be used in the pharmaceutical, construction and other industries. After the flooding of the plant, the backup generator stopped working and the power supply was interrupted. Some chemicals requiring refrigeration increased in temperature and decomposed and then exploded on fire.

Arkema said on August 31 that the plant may explode again. The residents within the radius of 2.4km around the factory have all been evacuated and no personnel are injured. Whether or not environmental pollution is temporarily determined is uncertain.

Due to "Harvey" just transit, many factory disaster situation is unknown. The US Environmental 手感助剂ion Agency is working with the Texas Department of Environmental 手感助剂ion to check the status of these chemical plants. Texas State Environmental Quality Committee spokesman Andrea & middot; Moro said it has yet to receive other "worth worrying" report. However, according to the Associated Press reported that "Harvey" 11 days before and after landing, many refineries and chemical plants exist at least 20 times the air pollutant emissions exceeded. A tank of crude oil dumps a leak, a pipeline leaks dangerous chemicals, and spills oil from at least one refinery.

Former US Inspector of Investigations Bill & middot; Hoyle said: "Things are not over. Obviously, the actions and preventive measures taken by these factories are not sufficient. After Arkema Incident was resolved, more dominoes would fall in the area.

The United States of America Gulf of Mexico is located in a large area of ​​chemical industry, where a large number of hurricanes, especially the 2005 hurricane "Katrina" struck After that, the safety production and disaster response capabilities of these factories should be reasonable to improve. However, according to the Associated Press, as these federal regula- tions have not been updated since 1992, the improvement of work safety and resilience in these factories is purely voluntary and not legally binding.

According to Wilson, a former official of the California Department of Industrial Relations, the federal government began to pay attention to the matter after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West Texas in 2013 killed 15 people. Indeed, A set of more stringent safety regulations, but after taking office, Trump announced the suspension of these regulations.

Wilson said many chemical companies use this regulatory loophole and are reluctant to pay for upgrading disaster recovery facilities and technologies.

The Secretary for Chemical Safety and Risk Survey Vanessa Sutherland warned that explosions like Arkema's plant would be more prevalent as the frequency of extreme weather increased, blocking regulation Vulnerability is imperative.