CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC | February 15, 2022
Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman has filed a class action lawsuit in response to the Eastman Chemical Company Steam Pipe Explosion in Kingsport, Tennessee.
The explosion occurred on January 31, 2022, at Eastman Chemical Company's Kingsport location, causing asbestos and other toxic materials to be sprayed into the air and spread throughout the surrounding community. Milberg attorneys Greg Coleman, Billy Ringger, Will Ladnier, Melissa Sims, Roy Mason, Ginny Whitener, and Kelsey Davies filed a class action lawsuit against Eastman Chemical Company on February 14, 2022. The complaint, filed in Sullivan County Circuit Court, includes claims for public and private nuisance, trespass, negligence, and strict liability for ultra-hazardous activity.
On Sunday, Milberg attorneys, joined by Dr. Angela Hind hosted a townhall meeting in Kingsport to meet with local residents and discuss their concerns. Residents explained seeing visible debris on their properties and throughout the neighborhood, and many reported experiencing headaches, nausea, and skin rashes following the incident.
Lead plaintiff Sharon Weatherly owns a home in the affected area. She says she and her neighbors were exposed to the toxic contaminants released during the explosion and claims in the lawsuit that her home and others in Kingsport have lost value as a result of this incident. The complaint alleges that Ms. Weatherly's neighborhood and much of Kingsport will be negatively affected for many years to come due to the legitimate concern and public perception that these types of incidents will continue to occur at Eastman in the future.
"This is not the first instance like this committed by Eastman. Our attorneys are already working with the Kingsport community and surrounding communities to protect their legal rights. These innocent victims deserve justice. With this lawsuit we hope to help them clean up their neighborhoods and force Eastman to clean up its act."
Milberg Senior Partner Greg Coleman
After the explosion, Eastman did not sound an immediate alarm warning the surrounding community of the incident. Eastman also reportedly failed to request that Kingsport officials use the city's automated emergency alert system to warn those in the affected area. Eastman waited late into the evening to inform residents that the debris covering their community contained asbestos. As alleged in the complaint, Eastman's actions have put residents at unnecessary risk, affected property values, and otherwise damaged the reputation of the community.
"After years fighting for cleanup workers devastated by the Kingston coal ash spill and other man-made environmental disaster victims around the country, we understand the terrible impact these events can have on the environment, wildlife, and people," said Milberg Attorney Billy Ringger. "The impacts on businesses, homeowners, and their families are likely to be felt for years."
Milberg's Environmental and Toxic Torts Litigation group has helped thousands of homeowners and businesses that have been negatively affected by similar man-made disasters, including the Kingston coal ash spill, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the Huntington Beach oil spill. The firm seeks to represent all persons and businesses harmed as a result of the Eastman steam pipe explosion.
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CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Virox Technologies Inc. | April 22, 2022
Since its creation of Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide® in 1998, Virox Technologies Inc.™ has been relied on by leading infection prevention and biosecurity experts worldwide and their innovations regarded as the new standard in disinfectant safety, efficacy, and environmental sustainability. Today, Virox announces its development of Citr-IQ™, a new innovative patented disinfectant technology for professional use.
Citr-IQ is a synergistic blend of ingredients that effectively kills pathogens using one of nature's primary antimicrobials, citric acid, while remaining gentle on users, materials, and the environment. By harnessing the natural disinfectant power of citric acid, Citr-IQ maintains the balance of efficacy and safety that Virox antimicrobial technologies are known for while advancing performance in sustainability and material compatibility.
"As a research driven company, we are committed to innovating, developing, and improving sustainable disinfectants that allow our users to reduce their environmental impact while providing a superior efficacy and safety profile that disrupts the status quo. I challenged our Research & Development team with further advancing our product safety, efficacy, and sustainability beyond that of AHP, and they delivered. Citr-IQ truly represents the next chapter in Virox innovation."
Randy Pilon, Virox President and CEO
When asked why citric acid was chosen as an active ingredient, Faraz Alderson, Virox Chief Science Officer, explains, "As a natural compound, citric acid's characteristics met our stringent criteria of delivering unmatched safety and microbial potency and providing the dual action of cleaning and disinfecting. It was the perfect natural compound to develop our formulations with."
Citr-IQ's synergistic chemistry is powerful enough to eliminate pathogens of concern, and its superior compatibility makes it safer for numerous surfaces and devices and allows for eco-friendly material and packaging options. Further expanding its sustainability profile, the ingredients in Citr-IQ are biodegradable and non-toxic, having no negative impact on the environment.
"We've enhanced the safe and natural disinfecting properties of citric acid to engineer a technology that outperforms other hospital grade disinfectants on the market," says Lee Nesbitt, Executive Vice President of Commercial Markets. "We have not compromised in its development but have focused on strengthening the ideal disinfectant attributes that set our innovations apart. We are excited to be announcing our new patented technology and working to bring Citr-IQ to Infection Preventionists and their facilities."
Virox's new Citr-IQ disinfectant technology is patented and proven effective against pathogens of concern, including SARS-CoV2, ESBLs, Norovirus, and Candida auris, and is the first citric acid-based tuberculocidal disinfectant with a contact time of ≤1-minute. Several Citr-IQ formulations are currently going through regulatory approval by the US EPA and Health Canada, and professionals can anticipate their arrival in late 2023.
About Virox Technologies Inc.
Virox Technologies Inc.™ is a disruptive chemical engineering and disinfectant innovator who set a new standard in disinfection in 1998 with the patented technology, Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide®. Since then, we have continued to innovate and deliver the world's safest, most effective, and eco-conscious disinfectants and elevate the understanding of proper disinfection and infection prevention. Our trusted technologies and products are relied on in more than 70 countries across human and animal health industries, eliminating dangerous pathogens and providing a safer and greener alternative for people, animals, and the planet.
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CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Energy Services of America Corporation | April 07, 2022
Energy Services of America Corporation formed a newly wholly owned subsidiary Tri-State Paving Acquisition Company, Inc., a West Virginia corporation, which has entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Tri-State Paving & Sealcoating, LLC a West Virginia corporation located in Hurricane, West Virginia to acquire substantially all of the assets of Tri-State Paving for $7.5 million in cash, a $1.0 million seller note, and $1.0 million in the Company's common stock. The Company expects the transaction will close on April 29, 2022.
"This is the special type of business combination where everyone involved wins. Our customers, and especially our employees, will all benefit from the additional resources provided by our becoming part of the Energy Services family of companies. Over the last eighteen years TSP built our reputation around safety, quality, and customer service. We are a natural fit with Energy Services, and I am excited to see what the future holds for this new alliance."
David Corns will continue his role as President of Energy Services' new subsidiary
Douglas Reynolds, President, commented on the announcement. "Tri-State Paving is a great company, and this acquisition extends and deepens our services offered to water distribution utilities. Increasing our exposure in the growing water market is a key strategic initiative for Energy Services, which makes Tri-State Paving a great fit." Reynolds continued "We are also very pleased that David Corns had agreed to stay on with us. David has a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in the industry, and we look forward to working with him."
About Energy Services
Energy Services of America Corporation headquartered in Huntington, WV, is a contractor and service company that operates primarily in the mid-Atlantic and Central regions of the United States and provides services to customers in the natural gas, petroleum, water distribution, automotive, chemical, and power industries. Energy Services employs 700+ employees on a regular basis. The Company's core values are safety, quality, and production.
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CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
ChemREADY | May 11, 2022
ChemREADY a premier water and wastewater treatment chemicals provider, announced the launch of its new Legionella services and product program, to combat the water-borne pathogen in building water systems.
Legionella bacteria can become a serious health concern when they grow in building water systems like domestic hot and cold-water systems, potable water tanks, decorative fountains, cooling towers, evaporative condensers of large air-conditioning systems, even hot tubs or ice machines. Most people contract Legionnaires’ disease by inhaling the bacteria from water droplets when around these systems.
Legionnaires’ disease is not spread from human to human, the bacterium thrives in the mist aerosolized from different water sources and therefore can infest an entire building. After Legionella grows and multiplies in a building water system, water containing Legionella can spread in droplets small enough for people to breathe.
Healthcare facilities are particularly vulnerable to a Legionella outbreak. An analysis of more than 2,800 cases of Legionnaires’ disease that occurred in 2015 found that 553 cases definitely or possibly occurred in a health care facility according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Sixty-six patients died from the disease. Factors that are now known to enhance
the growth of Legionella bacteria in human-made water environments include the following
Water temperatures of 77 F-107.6 F
Stagnation of the water
Scale and sediment in the water
Certain free-living amoebae organisms in water capable of supporting intracellular growth of Legionellae
“Our Legionella program allows our customers to analyze and combat the risk of water-borne pathogens through consulting, testing, Legionella remediation and secondary disinfection products. We’re proud to offer a total solution for facilities to combat Legionnaires’ disease.”
Benjamin Frieders, one of ChemREADY’s certified Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialists
ChemREADY offers consulting on Water Management Plans, with an outline of services available online.
New Joint Commission regulations went into effect on January 1, 2022 that outlines requirements for facility managers to maintain Water Management Plans to guard against a Legionella outbreak. As part of its new offering, ChemREADY works with customers to create and update Legionella Water Management Plans, Legionella testing services, remediation and outbreak control services, and equipment for supplemental secondary disinfection for potable systems.
About ChemREADY
ChemREADY is an Ohio-based chemical product and services company that focuses on water-related markets. The company works with industrial and municipal customers to clean and re-use water for industrial processes, manage water-borne pathogens such as Legionella, and keep closed-loop systems (boilers and cooling towers) operating at peak efficiency. Its professional field personnel are backed by a staff of analytical chemists, an extensive logistical network with decades of experience in water-based chemistry. Its commercial staff is available around the clock and can deliver products anywhere in the world.
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