5. Preventing Double Disasters: Disaster in Winston-Salem

David Flores, J.D., is a CPR Senior Policy Analyst. He joined CPR in 2016 to work on climate adaptation policy and advocacy.

We talk specifically about the disaster in Winston-Salem NC that just occurred where nearly 600 tons of ammonium nitrate caught fire at the Weaver fertilizer plant on Jan. 31 and burned for four days. The risk of explosion was so great that Winston-Salem officials asked people to evacuate within a mile radius, temporarily displacing 6,000 residents. The Center for Progressive Reform came out with an article that emphasized the need to prevent double disasters, which implies that hazardous chemical releases by industrial facilities are worsened by inadequate action in the face of conditions of climate change and natural disasters. As the global climate crisis intensifies, coastal and inland communities are increasingly at risk of natural disasters.”

With David, we talk about the incident, what preventable measurements could have taken place, who was affected, EPA’s risk management preventions, and what reform can be done on a national level.

Contact and connect with David: [email protected]g 

CRP report:http://progressivereform.org/our-work/energy-environment/preventing-double-disasters/

Other news: https://ncpolicywatch.com/2022/02/08/winston-salem-fertilizer-fire-reveals-regulatory-loopholes-spurs-hard-questions-about-building-and-workplace-safety/