What Are the Dangers of Chemical Spills?

Companies that handle chemicals must have emergency protocols in place, but a chemical spill endangers more than workers. Damage can go far beyond the manufacturing building, power plant or oil refinery. Widespread concerns arise from spills that occur during the transport of stored chemicals by truck, boat or train. Cleanup comes at a high cost, but so too do the potential effects of the chemical release.

Damaged Environment

• Chemical spills not cleaned up properly can contaminate the air, soil or water for years, harming the environment and living things, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Damage to the natural flow of the ecosystem would begin with a reduction in plant growth, which is a food source for many animals, according to Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research.

Illness or Death

• Humans exposed to chemicals through either direct contact or hazardous fumes can face health problems. Both workers and community members can feel the negative effects, depending upon the extent of the spill. Anhydrous ammonia and chlorine gas are used by some power and industrial plants and, if released accidentally in great amounts, can form dangerous toxic clouds, states the Right-to-Know Network.

  Although ammonia and chlorine are only two of many hazardous chemicals, the effects they can have on humans include burning in the eyes and lungs, blindness, bronchitis, vomiting, fluid in the lungs and death. Other chemicals can damage the nervous system or cause cancer and other medical concerns.

Harm to Wildlife

• Chemicals have a negative---and sometimes deadly---effect on wildlife, reports Tri-State. Water spills of chemicals such as chlorine or oil can cause considerable damage to birds, fish, and ocean and land animals. Oil is a slick substance that buries in fur and feathers and leads to internal damage, explains Tri-State. This can render a bird unable to fly or float and an animal incapable of finding food or avoiding predators.

Contaminated Water Supplies

• Chemical spills can seep into the soil and contaminate private wells and public drinking water supplies. This has occurred to hundreds of New York water supplies, reports the New York State DEC.

Tainted Foods

• Chemicals in the soil can mix with water and be absorbed by the roots of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption, states the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. The college further explains that chemicals entering a farm's water source can end up poisoning cows and other livestock. Farmers should know what steps to take in the event of a significant insecticide or other chemical spill.

Fire or Explosion

• Many chemicals, such as oil, are extremely flammable and can pose a fire and explosion hazard if spilled. It is difficult to contain a chemical spill and toxic fumes once a fire has started. An industrial building fire with dangerous chemicals inside can cause severe harm to employees and the nearby community.

Unsafe Recreation

• Chemical spills that flow into creeks or rivers can end up contaminating any connecting bodies of water, such as lakes and oceans, explains the New York State DEC. Lake contamination puts in danger any person using the lake for swimming, fishing or boating.