Husky Energy says it will continue using highly toxic hydrogen fluoride at its refinery despite a series of fires and explosions at the Superior, Wis. based facility last year, according to an article from the Star Tribune. Tanks holding the chemical were reportedly not breached during the explosion in September 2018, which was caused by an eroded valve, according to the article, but the incident spurred the evacuation of the city of about 27,000 due to fears of its release.
The company says it will spend more than $400,000 to rebuild the refinery, although it reportedly has no plans to eliminate the chemical. According to the Star Tribune, Husky Energy says it plans several safety enhancements including improved leak detection and additional layers of water mitigation, which would help to dilute hydrofluoric acid in case of a leak.
Read the entire article here.
