By Kris Maher 

The company at the center of the chemical spill in Charleston, W.Va., that contaminated tap water for 300,000 people earlier this month confirmed Wednesday that a previously unidentified chemical was also in the storage tank that leaked.

Under order from state authorities, Freedom Industries Inc. disclosed the tank that leaked on Jan. 9 contained a small percentage of a proprietary chemical mixture called "PPH, stripped." Previously, officials believed the tank contained only Crude MCHM, which is used to clean coal.

Freedom President Gary Southern described PPH as a "hydrophobic glycol ether" added as an "extender" for Crude MCHM. A material safety data sheet provided by the company to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection described the substance as a proprietary blend dubbed "PPH, stripped."

"Our records and internal investigations indicate that there were no other materials in Tank No. 396 at the time of release," Mr. Southern wrote.

The presence of a second chemical--and one that was unknown until 12 days after the spill--raised new concerns among residents about potential health effects of the contamination. Tap water in the state capital of Charleston and the surrounding region tap was off-limits for drinking, bathing, cooking and other common uses for as many as nine days.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said in an email released by a spokeswoman for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin on Wednesday that there was limited information available about any potential danger of PPH. Safety data provided to authorities by the manufacturer, Dow Chemical Co., indicated PPH has a lower toxicity than MCHM, the CDC said.

A spokeswoman for Dow Chemical didn't respond to requests for comment or to provide a material safety data sheet. Crude MCHM is believed to cause skin and eye irritation but not much is known about its long-term health effects on people.

A Freedom safety document on "PPH, stripped" listed skin irritation and serious eye irritation as health hazards. The safety document, dated October, said the product used by Freedom isn't reported to have any carcinogenic effects. It also listed the likely route of exposure as skin and eye contact and inhalation.

Previously, officials had estimated that about 7,500 gallons of Crude MCHM had leaked into the Elk River and then into a water distribution system owned by West Virginia American Water Co.

After Mr. Southern told state regulators Tuesday PPH was also in the tank, DEP officials ordered the company to report all chemicals in the tank by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

In a letter, Mr. Southern said the state DEP that the tank contained 88.5% Crude MCHM, 7.3% PPH and 4.2% water by weight. He estimated the amount of PPH in the tank at roughly 300 gallons.

State officials have been testing for PPH in the water system and have said that early tests haven't found the chemical. The water company said in a statement it believes its treatment system would filter out PPH.

Write to Kris Maher at kris.maher@wsj.com

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

Dow (NYSE:DOW)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024 Click Here for more Dow Charts.
Dow (NYSE:DOW)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024 Click Here for more Dow Charts.