Environmental incidents and transport accidents
Bayer uses the term “environmental incidents” to cover incidents resulting in the release of substances into the environment. They are divided into two categories depending on the amount and nature of the substance, the potential hazard, the impact on residents and the scope of reporting in the media:
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Level 1 incidents are serious environmental events whose resultant costs, for example for repairs to plants, clean-up etc., are in excess of €2 million or that meet other relevant criteria.
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Level 2 incidents are, for example, significant environmental incidents whose resultant costs are in excess of €100,000 but less than €2 million or that meet other relevant criteria.
According to our internal voluntary commitment, we report even minor production releases: in the case of substances with a high hazard potential, we report quantities from 0.1 metric tons upwards.
| Environmental incidents (number p.a.) |
|---|
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| 3 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 13 |
During the reporting period, there were 13 environmental incidents that were reportable according to Group-wide regulations. Of these, nine were level 1 environmental incidents and four were categorized as level 2.
| Transport accidents according to means of transport (numbers p.a.) |
|---|
| | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Road | 2 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Rail | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Inland waterways | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Air | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pipeline | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
We examined the absolute number of 10 transport accidents in relation to the number of transport movements completed in 2009 of 709,744. Around two thirds of the movements were systematically recorded internally, while for the remaining regions/countries, a qualified estimate was determined for 2009. Figures for these will be recorded more precisely in the future. Our analysis gave a rate of 0.14 transport accidents per 10,000 transport movements completed. This rate is more illustrative than the absolute number of transport accidents since, like the method used to present occupational injury rates, it presents the number of accidents as a proportion of the transport operations actually completed.
Unfortunately, even our extensive safety precautions and training procedures cannot entirely prevent environmental incidents or transport accidents occurring. In order to further increase transport safety, we implemented a new Group-level transport safety regulation in 2009. This regulation contains obligatory measures which will enable hazards to be prevented during the transportation of materials and products. It also documents the obligation to carefully analyze and evaluate any incidents and accidents so that appropriate steps can be taken to prevent a recurrence.
In addition, we target our transport service providers directly: the Bayer MaterialScience regional teams responsible for safety in transport and distribution conduct special health and safety training sessions for the logistics partners. Bayer HealthCare (BHC) had no transport accidents in 2009. BHC employs strict criteria when selecting service providers for European land transportation. Preferably, companies with their own equipment (temperature-controlled double-decker vehicles with GPS/GSM) are used, thus avoiding the use of sub-contractors.
Bayer CropScience continued its training program on the safe handling and transportation of hazardous substances and goods in Asia. A procedure for the proper classification and packaging of samples was established that also supports the qualification of suppliers by bcs staff in these countries.
As part of the continuous development of our safety management, we also updated our management approach to process and plant safety in 2009, which found expression in a new Group regulation. The first measures, e.g. training, will be implemented in 2010.
The tables below detail environmental incidents and transport accidents recorded at Bayer during the reporting year.
| Environmental incidents in 2009 |
|---|
| | Plant | Date | Environmental incident level | Personal injuries | Description |
| 1 | BMS, Dormagen, Germany | January 14, 2009 | 1 | no | Safety triggering of an ammonia damping wall to prevent a phosgene leak |
| 2 | Currenta, Leverkusen, Germany | February 22, 2009 | 1 | no | Due to a defect in a dosing system in the waste air treatment facility, a short-term leak occurred of a reddish plume of waste air during the incineration of iodine-containing waste. |
| 3 | BCS, Thane, India | May 5, 2009 | 2 | no | Fire in an interim storage facility containing 108 kg of BCS products |
| 4 | BCS, Kansas City, United States | May 25, 2009 | 1 | 1 employee hospitalized for observation | Excess pressure when cleaning a vessel resulted in the release of a cloud of vapor which also contained constituents of hydrochloric acid and sulfur dioxide. |
| 5 | BMS, Baytown, United States | June 17, 2009 | 2 | no | Release of carbon monoxide and monochlorobenzene (MCB) in a hydrochloric acid plant |
| 6 | BHC, Bergkamen, Germany | September 5, 2009 | 1 | no | Explosion caused by the spontaneous combustion of residual aluminum alkyl |
| 7 | BMS, Brunsbüttel, Germany | November 25, 2009 | 2 | no | Release of less than 1 cubic meter of 20 percent sodium hydroxide due to a leakage in a storage vessel caused by a defective seal |
| 8 | BMS, Dormagen, Germany | November 27, 2009 | 1 | no | Safety triggering of an ammonia damping wall to prevent a phosgene leak |
| Environmental incidents that were also transport accidents |
|---|
| | Plant | Date | Environmental incident level | Personal injuries | Description |
| 9 | BCS, Canada | March 22, 2009 | 1 | no | Fire on a truck loaded with 120 barrels of BCS products due to a tire blow-out |
| 10 | BMS, Baytown, United States | May 10, 2009 | 2 | no | Derailment of a railroad car and release of approximately 86,000 liters of hydrochloric acid |
| 11 | BCS, Beijing, China | September 25, 2009 | 1 | no | Fire on a truck loaded with one metric ton of BCS products |
| 12 | BMS, Belford Roxo, Brazil | October 26, 2009 | 1 | car driver killed | Release of 20 metric tons of nitric acid due to a collision between a truck and a car |
| 13 | BCS, Santiago de Chile, Chile | October 30, 2009 | 1 | truck driver killed, two further persons involved injured | Head-on collision between a truck loaded with BCS products and another truck, with the release of product into the environment |
| Purely transport accidents in 2009 |
|---|
| | Plant | Date | Environmental incident level | Personal injuries | Description |
| 1 | BCS, Canada | March 12, 2009 | no | no | Minor release of BCS product (approximately 10 liters) due to an accident involving a truck loaded with BCS products. |
| 2 | BMS, Foxhol, Netherlands | April 16, 2009 | no | no | Sealed but empty barrel with labeling for Desmodur® (MDI) found in Denderleeuw, Belgium. The barrel had been lost due to inadequate securing of the load. |
| 3 | BMS, Spring, United States | April 22, 2009 | no | no | Leaky barrel holding polyol containing MDI on a truck |
| 4 | BMS, Baytown, United States | September 15, 2009 | no | two persons injured | Excess pressure in a tanker wagon with the release of steam; no product released |
| 5 | BMS, Leverkusen, Germany | September 16, 2009 | no | no | Leakage during the road transportation of hydrochloric acid |