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Seven weeks after leak shut busy highways, Delaware not ready to let Croda unit reopen

Croda's new ethylene oxide facility on the Delaware River remains shut under state orders, seven weeks after a gas leak forced a seven-hour holiday-weekend closing of the Interstate highway links between the New Jersey Turnpike, I-295 and points south

The Croda surfactants plant, between I-95 and the Delaware River at Atlas Point south of Wilmington. England-based Croda was urged to close the plant and move the works to Texas by its Gulf Coast-based ethylene suppliers, to avoid the cost and risk of shipping volatile organics by rail across the country. Instead, Croda, committed $170 million to building an ethanol-to-ethylene oxide plant (top of photo) to make its raw material on site, expanding employment from 215 to 250. The state of Delaware gave tax breaks and training subsidies.
The Croda surfactants plant, between I-95 and the Delaware River at Atlas Point south of Wilmington. England-based Croda was urged to close the plant and move the works to Texas by its Gulf Coast-based ethylene suppliers, to avoid the cost and risk of shipping volatile organics by rail across the country. Instead, Croda, committed $170 million to building an ethanol-to-ethylene oxide plant (top of photo) to make its raw material on site, expanding employment from 215 to 250. The state of Delaware gave tax breaks and training subsidies.Read moreCourtesy Croda