Caribbean refinery emits flammable toxic gas

‘Noxious’ smell from St Croix’s Limetree Bay refinery closes schools and prompts health advisory.

A “noxious” gaseous smell coming from St Croix’s recently reopened refinery that caused schools to close was caused by excess emissions of hydrogen sulfide, US Virgin Islands officials said on Friday. The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) is advising people with respiratory ailments such as allergies, lung disease and asthma to consider taking protective actions such as staying indoors or relocating to less-affected areas. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration describes hydrogen sulfide “as a colorless gas known for its pungent ‘rotten egg’ odor at low concentrations. It is extremely flammable and highly toxic.”