Neosho, Mo.-Seven miles of the Mississippi River were closed off and evacuations ordered at several surrounding businesses after a mechanical malfunction in an incinerator at the BASF plant caused the release of approximately 200 pounds of sulfur trioxide, according to investigators with the Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources (MDNR). MDNR spokesman Judd Slivka told Green Markets that fortunately there were no injuries and the sulfur trioxide, which drifted toward the river, didn’t mix with water and turn into sulfuric acid. He said that although given the small amount of the release there was no need to issue drinking water alerts, Hannibal and Louisiana, Mo., about 10 miles away, were notified of the incident. Slivka said the release, which occurred about 8 a.m., was probably caused by a malfunction in the incinerator stack. “The affected area was in a 500-yard radius around the plant and light winds out of the south/southwest pushed the release toward the river,” Slivka reported. He said the river closure, ordered by Coast Guard as a precautionary measure, lasted about two hours. The plant is located between Hannibal and Palmyra, about 115 miles north of St. Louis. Sulfur trioxide, a significant pollutant that is the primary agent in acid rain, is produced as a precursor to sulfuric acid.
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