Another look at corn. How can I relate my Junior Theme to the Texas fertilizer plant explosion? It all starts with ammonium nitrate. Who knew this highly combustible chemical would be used in the corn fields of America today? It began after World War II, when scientists changed the more traditional methods of growing corn. According to Michael Pollan's
The Omnivore's Dilemma, the government found itself with a surplus of ammonium nitrate, an important ingredient used in weapons production, and government leaders wanted a method to dispose of it. Scientists came up with the idea of using the ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer and pesticide. Thus began two new industries and, as a result, corn yields exploded!
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"Debris littered a field near the West Fertilizer Company
plant in West, Texas. Investigators believe it may have
been set of by ammonium nitrate stored there." |
While corn yields have been 'exploding' in recent years, a couple days ago the
West Fertilizer Company plant in West, Texas had an explosion of its own. It is believed to have been from the 540,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate stored to sell to local farmers. Following September 11, "Congress passed a law requiring plants that use or store explosives or high-risk chemicals to file reports with the Homeland Security Department so it can increase security at such facilities." It includes any plant storing more than 400 pounds of ammonium nitrate. Yet, no one from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the Homeland Security Department, and the West ambulance service knew of the large amount of ammonium nitrate the West Fertilizer Company was storing. In fact, the West Fertilizer Company plant "had 1,350 times" the amount required to file a report. If only our protection agencies had known this. The plant should have been on the list of 4,000 facilities with high-risk chemicals.
Regulations in Texas are a little different. They are a little more lenient, which is exactly what Pat Mohan, Interim President of the Corn Refiners Association, desires for the corn refining industry. Without as many regulations, industries would be able to create and experiment much more. However, these regulations also keep us safe; like the regulation of having to report high-risk chemicals and have it on file. How can regulations be managed to support both the industrial side and the consumer side?
It is sad that people had to die and a lot of damage had to occur in order to discover the truth about the chemicals in this factory. People are always complaining about how many secrets the government keeps from the U.S. citizens but if you think about it we citizens keep just as much from them. Also, our secrets are almost always worse because we are usually keeping secrets in order to get around a law or stay out of trouble. Since this fertilizer plant blew up I am sure it was not the most updated or safe place. Maybe they didn't report their chemicals because if someone had come out to boost security they would have gotten in trouble for a lot of other things. I guess my point is, is that this horrible tragedy was caused by a lack of communication with proper authorities and that is very hypocritical because citizens are always getting mad at the government for the thing they do not tell us.
ReplyDeleteLily,
ReplyDeleteGreat job blogging again this term. This is a thoughtful post -- timely with the news and with your JT. My only big suggestion as you continue blogging -- and I hope you do! -- is to use the end of posts for a bold statement rather than retreating to ambivalent questions. What if a balance can't be struck? Take a side here: industry or consumer.