Chemical incidents in 1989

January	ICI 12000 litres of nitric acid and sulphuric acid poured from a tank creating a toxic cloud of Nitrogen Dioxide (an irritant and in extreme cases can cause a build up of fluid on the lungs). 30 houses evacuated. A passing taxi driver eventually alerted the emergency services and 40 residents were evacuated. Maximum fine for leak was $10, 000. ICI got $7,500. (In 1987, they were fined $5000 on each of two charges following Nitrogen Dioxide leaks).
February	North Melbourne. Small chlorine leak from factory.
February/ March	Petroleum Refineries Australia, Altona. On going release of white chemical dust particles and odours effecting a broad housing area. Dust particles later found to be Aluminium Oxide and Barium Sulphate. Fined $7500 in May 1990 by the Broadmeadows Magistrate Court.
March	West Footscray. Factory fire involving bag house.
"	Wallan. 50 houses in evacuated after a Untied Transport semi-trailer carried a leaking drum of toxic fluid into the town.
"	BF Goodrich Altona. 11 tonnes Vinyl Chloride gas leak from a storage tank . Caused by a power failure at Brooklyn sub station. Power at plant was off for two hours and no back up system was provided. Evacuation of surrounding areas was required.
"	Rail freight terminal Dynon Rd, Footscray. Chemical leak within rail yard. Eventually found to be sodium ethyl exanthate, leaking from a large batch of drums. Apparently no manifest available.
"	Australian Synthetic Rubber Altona Leak of Diethyl aluminium chloride from a storage tank during a shut down for maintenance. Release to the atmosphere of 3,300 litres of polybutadiene, a catalyst solution which ignited when it hit the air and burned for more than an hour with flames 12 metres high. Two workers injured, Altona High School and residents evacuated.
"	Altona. 30,000 litres of petrol spilled from BP.
"	Wallbridge Transport, Moreland St, Footscray. A 200 litre drum of caustic solution ruptured Fork lift driver injured.
April	BP, Australia pipeline, Altona. Leak of 10,000 litres of petroleum near a residential area. As the result of the rupture of street pipeline, Fire Brigade declared the area a high risk zone because of the possibility of explosion. Temporary repairs failed and further attention was required to stop pollution of Kororoit Creek.
May	Melbourne, City Baths. 70 people evacuated and 31 people taken to hospital after vapour from cleaning liquid was mistakenly pumped into the air.
"	Sunshine. Uncontrolled process reaction at factory.
"	Brooklyn. F.B.T Transport Depot. Chemical leak when a tanker carrying 10,00 litres of hydrogen peroxide became contaminated. Surrounding area was evacuated.
"	Footscray, transport accident involving vegetable oil.
June	Yarraville, Mobil Terminal. Petrol tanker spilt its load after collision with another truck.
"	Mordialloc. 200 people evacuated after backhoe reversed into gas main.
July	80,000 litres of oil spilled from Petroeum Refineries Australia's underground pipelines in North Williamstown into the bay. The oil leaked for 12 hours before it was detected. A street was evacuated and penguins died in the bay.
August	Chemplex Australia, Somerville Rd, West Footscray. A valve leak created a mix of chlorides and other chemicals that formed a cloud of hydrochlorides and acid vapour. Workers were evacuated.
"	West Footscray. Chemplex Australia. A mix of chlorides and other chemicals formed a cloud of hydrochloric acid vapour. Workers evacuated from factory.
"	Deer Park. Ruptured pipe in in a paddock near the western Highway caused an potentially explosive situation.
"	Petroleum Refineries Australia Pipeline, Champion Rd, North Williamstown. A 6000 litre distillate leak from pipeline. Extensive pollution of Kororoit creek and the Bay with major effects to marine life.
"	Cabot boiler explodes. Explosion felt four kilometres away. Cabot is situated next door to Altona North Technical School and approximately one kilometre from Seaholme Primary School.
"	Safcol Holdings, Whitehall Street, Footscray. Ammonia leak after pipe ruptured.
September	Ardeer. 26 lots of housing development was found to be highly contaminated by lead.
"	Appleton Dock. 200 litre chemical spill.
"	Five drums of Zylene (a flammable liquid) released when truck overturned, 2 drums ruptured.
"	Tullamarine. Chemical leak
October	Brooklyn. 7 tonnes of Styrene Monomer leaked, workers evacuated and fire brigade called.
"	Chemical accident cnr Lambert and Parsons street Flemington. One worker injured with 40% of burns to his body
November	Hoescht spills 1,650 kilograms of reactor contents on to their roof and into the atmosphere.
December	Hoescht's air emissions of endosulfan (active pesticide ingredient) were recorded up to 28 times higher than EPA licences permit.