Chemical hazards controversy explodes

摘要

Freedom-of-information activists are accusing the US chemical industry of concealing data on the number of deaths and serious injuries that would occur in the event of a major accident. The Working Group on Community Right-to-Know (RTK) says that millions of people are unknowingly in danger and is challenging the industry to publish the information on the internet. The allegations, which industry denies, come just over a year before the US government is due to publish 'worst case' accident scenarios for the nation's chemical plants. Under the 1990 Clean Air Act, 66,000 industrial facilities must disclose potential public health hazards to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for publication in June 1999. RTK claims that the industry is waging a campaign to prevent the full details from being published.