On August 12, 2015, in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, a warehouse owned by a logistics company suffered massive explosions and fires that killed at least one hundred people, injured hundreds more, and released toxic fumes into the air. Understandably, the explosion has raised concerns from regulators, industry, and citizens alike about chemical safety here in the United States.
By understanding the chemicals involved in the tragic Tianjin incident, and the legal requirements surrounding the chemicals’ storage, use, and transport within, into, and out of the United States, we can get a sense of how US regulatory agencies and industry work together to protect the public from these types of disasters.