Friday, August 21, 2015

The Colgate-Palmolive plant in Morris Plains, New Jersey was shut down and evacuated after a substance used to make soap spilled in the loading dock area





Kimberly Redmond | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
 August 19, 2015



MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ – An evacuation was ordered after a substance used to make soap spilled while being transferred at the Colgate-Palmolive manufacturing plant Tuesday night.

The liquid, known as Stepan-ammonynx cetac-30, was being siphoned through a tanker truck hose into the East Hanover Avenue facility when the spill occurred in the loading dock area, Morris County Office of Emergency Management director Jeff Paul said.

No injuries were reported, Paul said.

"The clean up is being handled by the Colgate-Palmolive company in accordance with safety precautions and properly disposed of by an approved environmental contractor," the OEM director said.

Several agencies, including the Morris Township Fire Department, Morris Township Police Department, Whippany Fire Department Hazmat, Morris County Hazmat, and Morris Minute Men EMS responded to the call, Paul said.

Authorities cleared the scene after about three hours, he said.

The plant manufactures liquid hand soap, body wash, deodorant, and antiperspirant.