Wednesday, March 25, 2015

BURNING PALLETS MAKE PEOPLE SICK IN WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY. ABOUT 15 PEOPLE BEING CHECKED FOR RESPIRATORY COMPLAINTS





MARCH 23, 2015

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. 

About 15 people were being checked for respiratory problems after pallets burned at a business in Warren County Monday morning.  The business is Witte Company, Inc.

The pallets that caught fire quickly were extinguished, according to staff in the Warren County communications center. 

But people complaining of respiratory issues are being checked. They apparently were exposed to smoke or fumes from that fire. 

The pallets may have been impregnated with some unidentified chemical that caused the irritation. 

The post-fire incident was reported as a hazardous materials leak at Witte Company, Inc., 507 Route 31 in Washington Township.

Pallets now require an IPPC logo which certifies that the pallet was heat-treated or fumigated with Methyl Bromide.
The standard is a 2 letter country code (xx), a unique number (000) assigned by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), HT for Heat Treatment or MB for Methyl Bromide, and DB to signify debarked.

There are some additional codes that can go on pallets but the main one to watch out for is MB. It means it was treated with Methyl Bromide.
If you don't see an IPPC logo then you know not to use it. While a pallet may be perfectly safe without the logo, it could also mean it was treated with chemicals.

Another issue is what has spilled on the pallet. I'd be careful, personally, about oily pallets or ones that have clearly had something spilled on them.