Evacuation lifted after chemical spill at Washington state port

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A chemical spill at the Port of Olympia in Washington state on Wednesday forced the evacuation of dozens of employees and several nearby businesses until the area was deemed safe to re-enter, a spokeswoman said. The hydrogen peroxide leak originated in a pipe leading to a large tank at an $11.5 million stormwater treatment plant that opened in December, said port spokeswoman Kathleen White. Evacuations were ordered for a quarter-mile radius and employees cleared from several nearby businesses while the leak was located and contained, she said. The evacuations remained in place for about three hours while the Washington State Department of Ecology assessed potential hazards. "There were no injuries and the site is stabilized," White said. It was unclear how much of the chemical had escaped but it did not contaminate drinking water, said a spokesman with the Olympia Fire Department. The leak caused plumes of vapor to leak over the port's Marine Terminal around 12:15 p.m. local time. The hydrogen peroxide was being used to bring the PH factor in stormwater to normal, White said. After it is safely treated, the water can be released into Budd Inlet, the southernmost section of Puget Sound, White said. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear, colorless, noncombustible liquid and a powerful oxidizing agent, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Ingestion can cause nausea and inhaling a 10 percent or higher concentration can cause severe pulmonary irritation. Concentrated solutions, typically used in industry, can also cause chemical burns to the skin. (Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Cynthia Johnston, Peter Cooney, Mohammad Zargham and Eric Walsh)