A power outage that led to a Delaware City refinery releasing excess emissions into the air has been resolved, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said Thursday afternoon.
The department said it does not expect any impact on public health and safety.
The excess emissions were caused by a power outage at 4:30 a.m. in part of the Delaware City Refining Co., one of the largest oil refineries on the East Coast. The loss of power shut down a carbon monoxide boiler, according to DNREC. Without the boiler, excess deadly gases — including carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide — were released into the air.
CLIMATE CHANGE:This hot and muggy weather is here to stay. How to stay cool, safe while out in the sun
The smoke and other particles in the emissions were visible in the early afternoon, DNREC said. However, the nearby Division of Air Quality monitoring station did not detect higher-than-usual levels of particulate matter — a type of air pollution — at any point during the day.
DNREC is investigating the cause of the refinery’s “unpermitted release of pollutants,” and said it will involve law enforcement if necessary.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.
