Spills
On july 27, 1986, a coupling for a pennwalt corporation pipeline pulled apart, causing 5,000 gallons of…
Pennwalt Corporation; Tacoma, Washington · Tacoma, Washington · NOAAORR-6383
- issued
- 1986-07-27 00:00Z
- status
- cancelled 1986-08-10 00:00Z
- self-cancels
- 1986-08-10 00:00Z
- authority
- NOAA OR&R
- sea
- The Coastal Waters of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia
- position
- 47.274, -122.425
- source
- incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z
Original warning text
Pennwalt Corporation; Tacoma, Washington. Tacoma, Washington. 1. On July 27, 1986, a coupling for a Pennwalt Corporation pipeline pulled apart, causing 5,000 gallons of sulfuric acid to spill directly into the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, Washington.The acid quickly diluted in the waterway and residual was cleaned up by Pennwalt. There was no aquatic mortality.NOAA/OAD was notified of the incident on July 28, 1986, by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Seattle, and requested to assess the potential problems that might be associated with the spill. NOAA advised that the sulfuric acid would rapidly dilute to a safe level in a localized area (200 yards). However, fumes from the reaction of sulfuric acid with water might be present in the immediate area. NOAA also cautioned the Coast Guard that there would be a possibility of a localized fish kill. USCG district 13. 2. COMMODITY: SULFURIC ACID. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 5000 GALLONS. 3. POSITION 47.274N 122.425W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6383: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6383
This area · spills & pollution incidents
426 within 180 nm since 1984 · 12 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now
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Spills
Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →
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