On March 3, a worker shot this video of him and his co-workers illegally pouring HOCUT 795-B out on the Nevada desert floor, then burning out the residue, at the insistence of their (unnamed) employer.
Luke Murray — possibly the person who made the video — released it today, and the video's creator narrates his guilt at his actions, and his anxiety that if he doesn't go along with the dumping he'll lose his job and jeopardize his family, and his concern that he could be held accountable for doing his boss's bidding.
The narrator says that in the two weeks he'd been dumping out the chemical waste, the plants at the dumping site had started to die.
HOCUT 795-H is a "general-purpose cutting fluid," a "soluble oil." According to its safety sheet, it does not pose a "chronic health hazard" and is not a source of "Germ Cell Mutagenicity," "Carcinogenicity," or "Reproductive toxicity."
It does pose an "acute health hazard" ("Causes burns, blistering, May cause allergic skin reaction"). The sheet also notes that "Water runoff can cause environmental damage" and advises "Do not flush into surface water or sanitary sewer system. Prevent product from
entering drains. Local authorities should be advised if significant spillages cannot be contained."
The comments on Reddit and Youtube are a mix of people blaming the workers for not refusing the order (many claiming that Nevada whistleblower law would protect them from reprisals, seriously underestimating the difficulty, expense and time-lag in the exercise of these legal provisions); lauding them for coming forward; and discussing the toxicity of HOCUT 795-B.
Illegal dumping by nv company
[Luke Murray/Youtube]
Guys forced to dump chemical waste in the NV desert by their employer [ViralOner/Reddit]
