Deer Park Chlorine Plant
THE FACILITY
The site is located around 1000 Tidal Rd., Deer Park, TX 77536. The facility occupies approximately 269.95 acres and is situated on the border between Deer Park and La Porte. The Deer Park Chlorine Plant produces Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), and chlor-alkali products.
The site is situated next to Patrick Bayou, which is an EPA Superfund Site. Patrick Bayou runs along the western border of the property. This region of Deer Park and La Porte is home to over 400 unique industrial facilities, ranging from chemical production to petroleum refining.
There have been several EPA and CDC studies conducted in the area, which indicate an elevated risk of cancer and other diseases for the residents of Deer Park and La Porte. The Deer Park Chlorine Plant has a production capacity of 4.4 billion pounds of PVC resin, 4.9 billion pounds of VCM, and 1.0 million tons of chlor-alkali electrochemical units. The electrochemical units are used as a metric in the chemical industry, corresponding to one ton of chlorine and approximately 1.1 tons of caustic soda.
The timeline of the site's history includes the formation of the partnership between this facility and The Geon Company (now known as PolyOne Corporation) in April 1999. In early 2001, the Houston Chronicle conducted an investigation on chemical spills entering Patrick and Buffalo Bayous, although this article is no longer publicly available. In September 2002, Patrick Bayou was added to the Superfund National Priority List. On November 18th, 2008, a fire broke out at the Deer Park Chlorine Plant. In the early 2000’s, the facility underwent a conversion and stopped using the mercury cell method.
OPERATIONS
The process of Mercury-Cell Chlor-Alkali manufacturing involves the use of thousands of pounds of elemental mercury. In the manufacturing process, mercury is used as a transport mechanism in the production of chlorine gas (Cl2). Typically, production occurs in a closed system; one that prevents the ingress or egress of chemical compounds into or out of the system. However, through the process of maintenance, decommissioning, demolition, or other “upset” conditions wherein the interior of the system is exposed to the external environment, risks of exposure increase exponentially. Mercury vaporizes (evaporates) at room temperature into an odorless and non-irritating vapor, making it impossible to detect without specialized equipment and testing. Often, gaseous or liquid mercury is brought home by workers on their skin, clothes, or tools from the plant, unintentionally exposing their families to this toxic metal.
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