Oil spill in Minnesota closes Highway 59

Highway 59 in Near Plummer, Minnesota, remains closed while crews figure out how to clean up a big petroleum spill, reports WDAZ-TV.

Approximately 30,000 gallons of oil spilled when a semi collided with a train on March 31, 2012. The driver of the truck, 65-year-old Dale Buzzell, passed away in the accident.

The hazardous liquid spread over a quarter of a mile and state officials are trying to determine the environmental threat. Most of the petroleum has been recovered, but soil clean-up remains a pressing concern.

Through efforts to contain and manage the spill, roughly 50 people were exposed to the harmful chemical toxin found in petroleum products called benzene, and they will be tested for any adverse effects, the news source reports.

Cleanup officials who are assigned with the task of removing any remaining petroleum from the ditch on Highway 59 may want to arm themselves with high-quality absorbent devices like High-Capacity Oil-Only Pads. These products are ideal for jobs where liquids need to be soaked up quickly and effectively. The sonic-bonded sorbents are constructed from a single layer of uniform polypropylene fibers, which offer added strength and minor linting during sensitive caustic spills.

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