Chemical carriers are trying to plug potential security gaps in the it transportation networks amid concerns by some regulators that their operating procedures are still vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Carriers say they do nor expect that situation to change much this year as they await clarification of new rules, and as industry and regulators continue to discuss measures to guard against terrorism without gumming up the flow of trade. Meantime, carriers say they are grappling with many of the same issues that they were faced with immediately after the 2001 terror attacks, including: calls for restricting use of certain distribution routes, particularly for transporting hazardous materials by rail or truck near heavily populated regions; the vulnerability of chemical tail cars that are stored outside chemical plants; and the extent of background check requirements for transport workers.
The industry has developed several voluntary initiatives in the last 16 months in response to government and public concern about chemical transport security. These include ACC's Responsible Care security code, part of which focuses on the "value chain," including transportation and distribution. The code, introduced last year, was preceded by transport security guidelines in late 2001 developed by ACC, The Chlorine Institute (Washington), and the National Association of Chemical Distributors (Arlington, VA), which takes a risk-based approach and builds on existing practices including ranking chemicals by hazard and exposure potential (CW Nov. 21128, 2001, p. 29). Other transport trade groups, such as the American Waterways Operators (Alexandria, VA), also have issued guidelines, most of which call for member firms to develop security plans and procedures to reduce their vulnerability to terrorist threats. ACC and other trade groups contend that such initiatives are a strong foundation for protecting the nati on's transport network from terrorism.
Some lawmakers say industry's voluntary initiatives do not go far enough, however, and they want the government to mandate security precautions. They say any container, rail car, or truck carrying hazardous materials could potentially be used as a weapon of mass destruction. They cite several incidents that alerted terrorism officials last year, including the theft of a truck carrying 96 drums of sodium cyanide near Mexico City last May.
TERRORIST FEARS. "Most of the 55-gal drums were quickly recovered, but the hijacking showed the ease with which terrorists could appropriate a potential chemical weapon," says Senator Charles Schumer (D., NY), who presented a transport security plan to the …
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