Samsung Austin: Leak causes 2.9 million liters of sulfuric acid waste to escape

Samsung’s semiconductor plant in Austin, Texas, had a leak over a period of several months that leaked waste sulfuric acid unnoticed. This caused any aquatic life in a tributary to die.

Samsung Austin: Leak kills aquatic life

For months, deadly sulfuric acid waste leaked from a leak at Samsung’s semiconductor manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas, causing the death of all aquatic life in a tributary about two kilometers long.

The waste first entered Samsung’s own stormwater pond and from there into a tributary of Harris Branch Creek in northeast Austin. It is estimated that the leak was open for a period of 106 days before it was noticed. About 2.9 million gallons of the sulfuric acid waste spilled into the tributary.

It was not until January 18, 2022 that Samsung contacted the relevant authorities to inform them of the leak. As a result, Samsung isolated its own rainwater pond to contain the runoff into the wild.

Water turns to vinegar

At that time, the pH of the tributary was a low 3 to 4, which is about the level of vinegar and ensures the death of all aquatic life, including fish and bacteria.  By January 19, 2022, the pH had already stabilized back to 6.7 to 8.5.

However, impacts to groundwater and potential long-term effects from the leak are unknown. However, a report from the Watershed Protection Department (WPD) determined that there had been no measurable impact on water chemistry or living organisms further than 2 km downstream.

Samsung also provides WPD with daily updates on the stormwater pond remediation. Once the remediation work is complete and before it is put back into service, the company must test the pond for integrity.

WPD will also conduct weekly tests of the affected tributary to keep track of all water quality and pH levels until all remediation activities are complete.

In a statement to CBS Austin, meanwhile, Samsung confirmed that most of its own chemical waste did not end up in the environment in the process. However, the company now wants to actively participate in the treatment of the adjacent tributary.