The United States has seen a substantial increase in chemical accidents, explosions, fires, and other emergencies releasing hazardous substances into the environment, according to a new analysis by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer) non-profit organisation. The report, based on federal data, indicates a rise of at least 51% in such incidents since 2021, with associated deaths and injuries climbing by at least 20%.
This surge in industrial failures comes as the Trump administration reportedly progresses with plans to dismantle key federal disaster management systems. The Clean Air Act mandates the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) response management program (RMP), requiring over 12,500 high-risk facilities to implement protocols for preventing catastrophes and limiting their impact. These measures are designed to safeguard workers, first responders, and nearby communities.
Despite the Biden administration strengthening these protections in 2024, and the recent increase in accidents, including two high-profile emergencies—one involving a chemical tank malfunction in Garden Grove, California, leading to 40,000 evacuations, and another in Longview, Washington, that killed 11 workers—the Trump administration is said to be pressing ahead with its controversial plans. Tim Whitehouse, Peer's executive director and a former EPA enforcement attorney, described these actions as "simply appalling," noting that America's ageing industrial infrastructure makes such failures increasingly likely.
Data obtained by Peer, following a 2017 lawsuit to compel government tracking, shows industrial accidents resulting in chemical releases grew from 83 in 2021 to 131 in 2025. Accidents involving injuries or fatalities increased from 60 to 89 over the same period. These figures, reported to the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, are likely an undercount as they only include atmospheric chemical releases, according to Jeff Ruch, Peer's senior counsel.
The regulations targeted by the Trump administration include requirements for facilities to install technology to detect chemical releases, implement fire suppression systems, and develop detailed personnel plans for emergency responses. The 2024 updates further mandate newer preventative technologies, backup measures, and the replacement of hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives, alongside plans for "double disasters" involving natural events like hurricanes or wildfires impacting chemical facilities.
Furthermore, the Trump EPA has already removed a public website that provided communities and first responders with information on chemicals used at facilities. The administration is also reportedly aiming to undo most of the 2024 updates to the law and has targeted the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), which reviews accidents and develops prevention plans, by proposing to eliminate its £11.2 million ($14 million) budget. While the CSB is a non-regulatory body, industry reportedly adopts approximately 90% of its safety recommendations, making its potential elimination a significant concern for industrial safety advocates.