Chemical manufacturer Arkema Inc. issued the all-clear Wednesday morning after reporting a hydrogen sulfide leak at its Houston facility.
The company said in a community alert that the chemical had been “confined inside” its facility. The leak was first detected a little after 9:15 a.m Wednesday, according to the alert published by the East Harris County Manufacturer’s Association’s system known as CAER.
Hydrogen sulfide is a poisonous gas with a characteristic rotten egg smell. According to OSHA, the substance can cause a range of negative health effects depending on a person’s level of exposure, from headaches and eye irritation at low levels, to respiratory failure and death.
In 2024 at a Houston-area Pemex refinery, two contract workers died and many others were hospitalized after attempting to flee a major hydrogen sulfide leak. After multiple reports of a foul smell, the broader Deer Park community was told to shelter in place at the time.
Arkema representatives did not respond to requests for more information about the cause of Wednesday’s leak, or whether any workers were exposed.
A spokesperson for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management told the Chronicle its office received an all clear message from Arkema a little before 11 a.m.
Houston-area industrial operators are not required to call on public officials for help when the impact of an incident is confined to their own property.
“Our emergency response teams are taking steps to stop the leak and clean up the release,” Arkema’s community alert said. “The safety of our workers and neighbors is the primary focus of our response.”