The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "chlorine" ...
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Drowning in Neglect
KHOU-TV discovers 1300 public swimming pools in Houston were getting a free pass for not meeting safety standards. City health inspectors failed to give violations for substandard drain covers, missing life preservers and emergency phones, and even a lack of chlorine. Health experts claim the condition of many of these pools invites the spread of disease and should warrant closure of the pool.
Tags: pools; safety; health inspection; chlorine; swimming
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Toxic Neighbors
Industrial plants with toxic chemicals were located blocks from homes, apartment complexes and schools. Some were found across the street from residences. The staff mapped where hazardous material sites were located in relation to densely-populated areas.
Tags: housing; toxins; poison; factory; zoning; subdivision; inner city; EPA; health; chlorine;
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Witnesses Wait
Humans have found ways to synthesize chemicals that cause terrible damage in the human body and do not decompose; they last and last. Most companies that produce these compounds locate away from people, in industrial zones. But in one neighborhood of New Orleans, an old chemical company mixed some of the most hazardous substances ever produced by man: Agent Orange, Heptachlor, Endosulfan, Dieldrin and DDT. They produced these chemicals out in the open on a small parcel of land ringed by people's homes. The wind blew the dry chemicals onto the houses, and there has been no effort to remove the soil or the risk to people who play and raise children and gardens there. Using an EPA database and Google Earth, the reporter found that there is no place more polluted with old, canned, organo-chlorine insecticides than this tiny, black, new Orleans neighborhood.
Tags: Pollution; Agent Orange; heptachlor; endosulfan; dieldrin; DDT; New Orleans; soil contamination; EPA; Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
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Terror on the Tracks
Prine investigated the reality of how secure rail shipments of poisons and explosives were. The investigation " uncovered shoddy security at facilities and rail lines previously inspected - and found wanting= by the Federal Railroad Administration." Prine created a database and shared it.
Tags: railroads; transportation; terrorist attacks; federal government; security; chlorine; poison; EPA; FRA
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Marshall Plant State's Top Mercury Polluter
The PPG Industries Chemical Plant in Natrium, Marshall County, "is West Virginia's largest source of mercury, a toxic metal that can poison the brain and is especially dangerous to children and developing fetuses." Reports filed with the Environmental Protection Agency reveal the plant "emit[s] more than 1,200 pounds of mercury into the air." The plant pumps salty water "through vats of pure mercury" to make chlorine and "only nine U.S. plants still use this 111-year-old process."
Tags: mercury; chlorine; toxic chemicals; chemical plants; West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; Environmental Protection Agency; EPA; PPG Industries
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Toxic Cargo; Crowded Inland Rails at Risk for Dangerous Chemical Spills
The investigation showed that Inland Southern California faces increasing risk of toxic spills from freight trains carrying chlorine, anhydrous ammonia and other deadly chemicals. The authors found a public unaware of the risk, local authorities unprepared and an industry with a questionable safety record.
Tags: chemical transportation; chemical spills; rail transportation; California; freight trains; public safety; FOIA
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Is it Homeland Insecurity?
The billions of dollars poured into Homeland Security since Set. 11, 2001 has not made Texas communities significantly safer. Instead Homeland Security has evolved into a massive spending spree undertaken with inadequate planning, coordination or accountability. A good portion has been wasted on high-tech gadgetry that is of minimal practical use in real emergencies. A 2004 chlorine gas spill outside San Antonio showed that emergency response efforts have not improved since the 9-11 attacks.
Tags: FOIA; defense; Homeland Security; government spending; grant money; state government; data negotiation; emergency management; high-tech gadgetry; chlorine gas spill
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Chemical Insecurity
60 Minutes learned that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had documents showing that 100 chemical facilities in this country stored enough toxic chemicals for each to put more than a million people at risk in the event of an accident or deliberate attack. The news team investigated what kind of security existed at "high-risk" facilities, talked to experts, present and former government officials and environmentalist groups to put this report together. The three month investigation looked at plants in highly populated cities like Los Angeles, New York, Houston and Chicago; and found that there are no federal regulations in place when it comes to security.
Tags: TAPE; chemical insecurity; bio terrorist; terrorist attack; chemical weapons; nuclear weapons; chemical plant; nuclear plant; WMD; toxic chemicals; deliberate attack; security; terrorism; anti-terrorism expert; risk management plan; Environmental Protection Agency; Clean Air Act; Chemical Safety Board; American Chemistry Council; chemistry; chlorine gas
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Don't drink the water
An investigation of the Pompano Beach city water department turned up several problems at a new $25 million water treatment plant, the coverup of a chlorine outage factoring in prominently. The reporter also showed that officials held a sham grand opening of the plant - tricking the public into thinking the plant was up and running months before it was actually ready.
Tags: sewage; treatment; water treatment; cleanliness; sanitation
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Sand Dollar Man
WFTS investigates a man who was dumping thousands of gallons of chlorine used to bleach sand dollars on his property. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection came out to inspect the property several times, but failed to take any soil or water samples. Residents were concerned about what the chemicals were doing to the environment, but no action was taken by officials.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; environment