The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and other state and local agencies will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 20 regarding the ethylene oxide release at the Croda plant in New Castle.
The meeting will be held at McCullough Middle School, 20 Chase Avenue, New Castle.
The incident on the night of Nov. 25, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, closed traffic on the Delaware Memorial Bridge for hours. Residents of the area near the release were advised to stay inside.
Officials of Croda said residents were not in any danger. The ethylene oxide plant sits near the I-295 entrance to the bridge.
Residents and others have expressed concerns about emergency notification systems that use landline phones at a time when many people use mobile devices.
Ethylene oxide is a dangerous, volatile chemical produced at Croda’s Atlas Point site for use in products made at the site. The ethylene oxide plant opened last year.
On hand will be:
- DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin
- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe
- DEMA Director A.J. Schall
- Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office
- Delaware Division of Public Health
- Delaware’s State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) members
- New Castle County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LERC);
- New Castle County Department of Public Safety
- Croda company officials.
Further information is available from Joanna Wilson or Michael Globetti at DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
