ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A white powder that sickened 22 people at a Lenoir recycling plant has been identified as urea, a chemical commonly used in fertilizer and products that clean diesel fuel systems.
Workers at Prime Recycling became ill Monday after opening boxes and sending the powder into the air. Fourteen people were taken to the emergency room, the Asheville Fire Department told WLOS.
The department’s hazardous materials team responded to help identify the substance. Wesley Rogers, the department’s division chief over special operations, said urea is found in a variety of products.
“It’s a chemical that’s found in a lot of different stuff, most commonly in fertilizer and a chemical that’s used to clean diesel fuel motors when they’re operating,” Rogers said.
The Asheville Fire Department operates one of seven regional hazardous materials response teams in North Carolina. Rogers said the team has specialized equipment that can identify chemicals in solid, liquid or gas form.
The incident is also raising concerns about the potential dangers of improperly disposed materials entering recycling facilities.
Eric Bradford, director of operations at Asheville GreenWorks, said workers rely on the public to sort and dispose of items properly. Once materials reach a recycling facility, workers may handle and sort them by hand, creating the potential for packages to break open or leak.
Asheville GreenWorks is hosting a Hard 2 Recycle event Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at T.C. Roberson High School in Arden. Accepted items include electronics, batteries, small appliances, cords and certain types of foam. Hazardous materials will not be accepted.
Buncombe County’s next household hazardous waste collection is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the county landfill, located at 85 Panther Branch Road in Alexander.
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