Lily factory forced to clean stream after chemical spill

Cleanup is underway for what EPA and Aisin Automotive Casting officials are calling a small chemical spill in a stream near the company’s Kentucky plant, located on Hwy. 552 in Lily.

The spill was allegedly detected by a CSX employee Sunday morning and was then reported to the proper authorities.

Allison Fleck, Public Information Officer for the EPA’s Division of Water in Frankfort, confirmed that Aisin Automotive reported a silicone spill Sunday afternoon, which set emergency response teams as well as cleanup crews into action.

An environmental firm was called in to clean a Lily stream after a silicon substance was accidently spilled into it by AISIN Automotive Casting.

“This is being called a spill and the substance that was released is a type of silicone that is used as a mold release lubricant,” Fleck said. “It is actually seven percent water and 30 percent oil base, but also contains alcohol.

“We have not been able to determine exactly how the spill occurred at this point,” she added.
John Gilbert, Human Resources Manager for Aisin Automotive, said that as soon as Aisin learned of the spill, measures were immediately taken to begin clean up.

“We got a call from a railroad worker and as soon as we found out about it, we took the proper measures,” Gilbert said. “We immediately called an environmental company that specializes in recovering this type of material. They have it in a contained area and it basically happened in a dead creek, which has virtually no movement up or down stream.

“This is basically a milky type substance with the consistency much like milk,” Gilbert added. “It’s not like motor oil at all.”

Gilbert said the company is unsure at this time how much of the liquid was spilled and said they could not make a true assessment until all usage of the liquid from previous shifts can be accounted for, but cleanup is underway and going well.

“We are trying to get all the information that we need to determine that,” Glbert said. “It’s not a very large number, so in gallons, I would say it will be somewhere close to the 500 gallon range.

“We are in the process of removing the contaminated water, which we are reusing at our plant,” Gilbert added. “We have our own water treatment plant, so we are making use of the water by using it once it has been filtered. This also assures that water will not be released into the water supply.”

The spill is currently being contained in what Fleck called a large plume, which she also said isn’t expected to move before cleanup is completed.

“There is about a 2,000 foot long milky-type plume that has not moved since the spill,” Fleck said. “It is being vacuumed into containers for transport.

“We have been on site testing the ph levels, making sure they stay at acceptable ranges, which they have,” she added.

Fleck said that neither nearby water supplies are in danger at this time and should that situation arise, the plants would be equipped to filter the water.

“The two down-stream plants have been notified of the spill, which are the East Laurel and Corbin plants,” Fleck said. “If it was to go that far, it would be treated with filtration, but it should be taken care of before it reaches them.”