Rising floodwaters have forced Dow to completely shut down operations at its Midland, Michigan, headquarters facility. Other companies with production at the site include Cabot, Corteva Agriscience, and Trinseo.
“Dow has activated its local emergency operations center and is implementing its flood preparedness plan, which includes the safe shutdown of operating units on site,” says a company spokesman. “Only essential Dow staff needed to monitor the situation and manage any issues as a result of the flooding remain on site.”
The Tittabawassee River, which runs through Midland, surpassed major flood stage Tuesday morning following heavy rains, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). One dam upstream of Midland breached Tuesday evening, and another is at risk. The NWS expects the flooding to rise another 10 feet by the end of Wednesday, and 10,000 area residents have been evacuated amid warnings of flash floods.
Dow produces a wide range of products at Midland, including polyvinylidene chloride copolymer resins (SARAN), ion-exchange resins, cellulose derivatives, silicones, methyl chloride, and monochloroacetic acid, according to the IHS Markit Directory of Chemical Producers.
Cabot produces fumed silica at Midland. Corteva produces chlorpyrifos, diclosulam, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetates (2,4-D), and several other agrichemicals. Trinseo produces acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and styrene-butadiene latex.
By: Clay Boswell
Source: Chemical Week
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