According to the United States Department of Transportation report, there are 20,228 hazardous material-related incidents occurring nationally in 2006. Missouri ranked 15th among states with 400 incidents.
In Missouri, a county has hired a local consulting firm to track the movement of hazardous material through that county. A study is conducted by Global Insights U.S. Hazmat Tracking Service. Utilizing a database constructed from public and private sources, it tracks where the materials come from and where they are going and what transportation routes are being used. The study will record the flow of hazardous material for Interstates, primary streets, U.S. highways, and local connecting roads. In the event of an overturned tractor trailer on the Interstate, the county will be able to send hazardous response teams that are specifically trained to move or handle the hazardous material.
County officials believe that this study will be useful because they have been concerned about knowing all the facts of hazardous materials in the county.
