Potential Sources of Cyanide Exposures
The industrial use of cyanide in a community does not automatically equate to risk of exposure. Most companies that use or handle hazardous chemicals adhere to strict safety standards and comply with federal and state laws; however, not all sites that use cyanide meet the threshold for reporting use.
Because cyanide is used in a wide variety of industries throughout the United States, there may be accidental exposures.. Exposures can occur either at industrial facilities or en route to or from these facilities by accidental spills or leaks.
Both the liquid and solid forms of cyanide are transported
throughout the country via major rail and highway routes.
Liquid forms are transported by tanker truck or rail car and then held at the industry site in a storage tank. Solid forms of cyanide are transported mainly by truck in a variety of storage containers, including metal drums and protective plastic bags and boxes.
Hydrogen cyanide in a gaseous form may be produced during structure fires, when products containing carbon and nitrogen, such as wool, paper, cotton, silk and plastics, burn. Inhaling smoke from one of these common building fires is actually the most common source of cyanide poisoning. One example is the polyester wadding commonly found in mattresses and furniture. According to the U.S. Fire Administration an estimated 20,800 fires-resulting in 2,200 injuries and 380 fatalities-are started by the ignition of mattresses and other bedding materials, which are highly likely to contain the natural and synthetic materials that release hydrogen cyanide when they burn.
Finally, because cyanide is prevalent and sometimes easily attainable, cyanide can be ingested either intentionally, in the case of a suicide, or used as an act of homocidal poisoning, such as the 1982 Tylenol® tampering, which led to the death of seven people in the Chicago-area.