News-Record.com

Tuesday's lead editorial.

Living in Alamance County could be hazardous to your health. At least if you're anywhere near Burlington Chemical Co. on Willow Springs Lane.

A routine inspection on Feb. 14 by the Burlington Fire Department and the Alamance County Fire Marshal's office discovered that 856,000 pounds of the highly combustible powder, sodium hydrosulfite, was being stored there.

Although efforts are progressing to whittle down that amount, state and local authorities may have a tough job convincing nearby residents that all is well, considering the frightening worst-case scenario.

The Burlington Times-News reported that the inspection revealed the chemical was being kept in 670 drums, 18 bins, 14 trailers and two trucks.

Had the volatile material ignited under the right conditions, fire officials project that people within 1.5 miles conceivably could suffer permanent injuries or die. The so-called "dead zone"includes Alamance Regional Medical Center and E.M. Holt Elementary School, not to mention hundreds of residents living in parts of Burlington, Elon and Graham.

Despite assurances from the county that "there's no possibility of any imminent danger," folks downwind are bound to remain skeptical. First of all, few apparently had any inkling they were living in the path of a potential ticking time bomb.

For reasons unclear, Burlington Chemical Co., which is owned by the conglomerate Gulf States Inc., got away with amassing significantly more than what is considered to be a safe amount of the chemical used in industrial processes.

The company now has until April 30 to reduce the on-site total to 100,000 pounds -- the maximum listed on its permit dating back to the 1980s.

Compare that with the 1,500-pound limit for storing sodium hydrosulfite in newly granted state permits. That drastic reduction can only raise questions about the potential for harm in spite of the drawdown.

Also worth noting is County Manager David Smith's comment to The News & Observer of Raleigh that "so long as the temperature remains around 60 degrees, it's safe."That's unnerving in light of the Piedmont's wide seasonal temperature swings and the fact that some drums are stored in enclosed tractor-trailers.

For starters, the company's removal program must continue on schedule. Additionally, there's a need for more timely state and local inspections and tighter facility security as well as heightened public accountability.

Given new storage guidelines, the only conclusion can be that Burlington Chemical's enormous sodium hydrosulfite stockpile was risky and improper.