On December 4, 2023, local media reported an active phosgene release from the Altivia Chemicals Complex located at 1901 W H St., Harris County, La Porte, TX. The phosgene release started around 10:30 a.m. due to a ruptured pressure relief valve at the plant. The La Porte Emergency Management issued a shelter-in-place notice. Eight employees working at a neighboring facility located to the south of the incident location were sent to the hospital for medical evaluation after exposure. The release was secured at 12:30 p.m. The La Porte Emergency Management lifted the shelter-in-place notice at 1:34 p.m. after evaluating the facility air monitoring and observing no phosgene detections at the fenceline. Harris County Pollution Control (HCPC) activated their contractors to conduct community air monitoring. HCPC reported no detections of phosgene on the air monitoring equipment. Due to the release being secured and no observed detection of phosgene in the community air monitoring by HCPC, EPA determined there was no additional need for community air monitoring.
To view the community air monitoring data collected by Harris County Pollution Control, please click here.
The Texas Poison Center has been notified of this incident. Please contact your doctor or the Poison Center (1-800-222-1222) if you are encountering any health effects related to this incident.
