Approximately 50 gallons of water have spilled into a storm drain at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, prompting testing by Orange County health officials to determine if the water contains any toxic chemicals, specifically methyl methacrylate (MMA).
This incident follows a major chemical crisis in late May at the same facility, where approximately 7,000 gallons of MMA were contained in a tank that threatened to explode. That crisis necessitated the evacuation of 50,000 residents across several Orange County cities. The immediate danger subsided on May 26 when officials confirmed the tank had cracked and was no longer pressurized.
The recent water spill occurred during a routine operation to empty an "onsite stormwater/condensation tank," which the Orange County Health Care Agency stated is located in an area unrelated to the primary MMA incident site. The agency explained that as the stormwater was being transferred to a tote for storage and analysis, an overflow resulted in the water entering the storm drain.
Health officials have indicated that the likelihood of detecting trace amounts of MMA in the spilled stormwater is considered low. The agency has not yet confirmed whether any water from the stormwater tank was used to spray the compromised MMA tank during the response to the May incident, a measure experts believe was crucial in preventing an explosion.
The planned transfer of neutralized MMA from GKN Aerospace's storage tanks, initially scheduled for Thursday and Friday, has been postponed and will be rescheduled. Officials had previously advised residents that the transfer process might produce a "fruity or plastic-like odor," even at concentrations well below health concern levels, due to the chemical's low odor threshold.
The original crisis at GKN Aerospace began on May 21 when the Orange County Fire Authority responded to a pressurized tank that was heating up. Although fumes were released, air sensors deployed in the following days have not detected MMA in the ambient air. The California Department of Public Health has stated that there is currently no risk to the public from MMA exposure and no long-term health effects are anticipated.
