60,000 Pounds of Explosive Chemicals Vanish in California

Sustainability Awakening

California officials are investigating a missing shipment of 60,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a chemical commonly used in fertilizer and explosives.

The shipment, which was sent by rail from Wyoming to California, went missing last month and has prompted four separate investigations.

The explosives firm Dyno Nobel, which made the shipment, reported the missing material to the National Response Center and the incident is being investigated.

Ammonium nitrate is a key ingredient in high explosives and was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

Dyno Nobel believes the shipment may have fallen from the railcar during transport, but authorities are investigating whether one of the hopper car gates was not properly closed.

The railcar was sealed when it left the Cheyenne facility and arrived with the seals still intact, according to Dyno Nobel.

The trip lasted two weeks and included multiple stops, and Dyno Nobel says it had limited control over the railcar as Union Pacific moved it through the country.

The missing shipment has raised concerns about public safety and the regulation of ammonium nitrate, which has been subject to federal regulations since 2007 to prevent its use in acts of terrorism.

While the cause of the missing shipment is still being investigated, the incident highlights the importance of proper handling and transport of hazardous materials.

The railcar is being transported back to Wyoming for inspection, and Dyno Nobel says it hopes to understand how the shipment was lost and work to prevent similar incidents in the future.

As the investigation continues, officials are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or missing shipments of hazardous materials to the appropriate authorities.

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