Uploaded April 2011 | Updated September 2026, 16 minutes ago
News article from WQAD News 8 concerning a local chemical spill at Rock Island, Illinois. The reporter is Kristy Mergenthal.
The substance in the report is concentrated hydrofluorosilicic acid, a pollution by product of the phosphate fertilizer industry that is trucked around the country and placed in your drinking water. The chemical is so caustic, the transport tankers must be coated inside with rubber to protect the metal. As mentioned in the video, the chemical is strong enough to melt concrete and many other substances. Fluorosilicic acid is so dangerous, cleanups must be done by qualified hazmat crews that are properly protected in hazardous material suits. It is completely illegal to dump this toxic substance in any natural body of water anywhere in the country. However, if it is placed in a container, in either powdered or liquid form, and sold to water utilities, it magically becomes a product that can then be placed in municipal drinking water anywhere in the United States. Despite being used as a drug, the substance has never been approved for that use by the FDA.
This video is presented under the fair use copyright law as an example of how hazardous fluorosilicic acid is. The source and producer is WQAD News 8 of Moline, Illinois - FAN would like to thank WQAD and Kristy Mergenthal for their excellent report.
News article from WQAD News 8 concerning a local chemical spill at Rock Island, Illinois. The reporter is Kristy Mergenthal.
The substance in the report is concentrated hydrofluorosilicic acid, a pollution by product of the phosphate fertilizer industry that is trucked around the country and placed in your drinking water. The chemical is so caustic, the transport tankers must be coated inside with rubber to protect the metal. As mentioned in the video, the chemical is strong enough to melt concrete and many other substances. Fluorosilicic acid is so dangerous, cleanups must be done by qualified hazmat crews that are properly protected in hazardous material suits. It is completely illegal to dump this toxic substance in any natural body of water anywhere in the country. However, if it is placed in a container, in either powdered or liquid form, and sold to water utilities, it magically becomes a product that can then be placed in municipal drinking water anywhere in the United States. Despite being used as a drug, the substance has never been approved for that use by the FDA.
This video is presented under the fair use copyright law as an example of how hazardous fluorosilicic acid is. The source and producer is WQAD News 8 of Moline, Illinois - FAN would like to thank WQAD and Kristy Mergenthal for their excellent report.
