Reference no: EM131212150

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Managing Crises and Response to NBC Incidents (Radiological and Explosive Materials And Mass Decon)

A chemical attack against the United States can be completed utilizing many different avenues of chemical weaponry. Most chemical attacks when thought of in the context of terrorist attacks is warfare agents that are specifically used for military purpose. However, toxic industrial/commercial chemicals have the ability to be utilized in a less than appropriate manner to facilitate an attack. "Toxic industrial and commercial chemicals that are produced, transported, and stored in the making of petroleum, textiles, plastics, fertilizers, paper, foods, pesticides, household cleaners, and other products." (News, 2004) Toxic industrial chemicals are most commonly found in everyday households, whereas warfare or chemical weapons are manufactured specifically for military use.

If presented with the potential of a chemical attack utilizing toxic industrial chemicals, this would be more concerning than that of an attack utilizing warfare chemicals. While warfare chemicals can be unstable and comprised of complex substances if they are manufactured specifically for military use then the chemical compounds should be known with a treatment plan already in place. While industrial chemicals have an MSDS to lay out treatment and the chemical compound the ability to alter those chemicals is much greater. The ability to spread and affect more people with industrial chemicals is more prevalent as they are common in households, therefor distribution would not be difficult.

Mitigating the use of toxic industrial chemicals in an attack is difficult as these chemicals are mass produced and a disgruntled employee can affect an entire nation. The plants that are manufacturing these chemicals should undergo thorough security checks and require extensive background checks on all employees. Shipments of these chemicals should be watched and inventoried upon any movement. While this will not eliminate all potential breeches it will mitigate some of them.