Represenatives of Croda, Inc. joined with Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) officials to announce that the chemical manufacturer reimbursed the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) for all lost revenue and associated operating expenses related to the accidental release of ethylene oxide on Sunday November 25, 2018.
That Sunday evening, the Incident Commander made the decision to temporarily close the Twin Spans and neighborhood roadways as a precautionary measure. The temporary closure of the Delaware Memorial Bridge lasted for several hours.
The closing came on at the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, one of the highest traffic periods for the bridge. The new Croda plant is near the approach to the bridge. The volatile chemical is used in production of household products.
Following a formal request from the DRBA, Croda has reimbursed the DRBA in full for lost revenue and operating expenses associated with the seven-hour bridge closure. The amount totaled $142,610.
“We regret the significant inconvenience this situation had on our neighbors and those traveling in the area,” said Robert Stewart, managing director of North American Operations for Croda. “We pride ourselves on being a good corporate citizen and a longstanding responsible member of this community. Reimbursing the DRBA is the right thing to do.”
Stewart noted that the company plans to work with DRBA officials and many other community leaders to explore ways to help keep the community safe.
“We appreciate the frank discussion we had with Mr. Stewart and his team at Croda regarding the incident and our path forward together,” said Tom Cook, Executive Director at the DRBA. “Croda officials have been extremely responsive to our questions and suggestions. When presented with the accounting of our loss revenue and costs associated with this unfortunate incident, they responded immediately.”
Cook added that he looks forward to a positive working relationship with Croda representatives going forward
