Serious industrial chemical accidents are becoming more frequent across the United States as the Trump administration moves to reverse or modify several safety requirements adopted under the previous administration, according to a new analysis of federal incident data.
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, or PEER, reported that industrial accidents involving chemical releases increased from 83 in 2021 to 131 in 2025. The nonprofit said incidents involving injuries or deaths also rose from 60 to 89 during the same period, including an increase from 73 in 2024.
The figures are based on incident reports submitted to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. PEER cautioned that the total may not capture every workplace chemical emergency because the reporting system primarily covers events involving releases into the surrounding atmosphere.
The analysis does not prove that federal policy changes caused the increase. Most of the accidents occurred before the Trump administration formally proposed its latest regulatory revisions. However, environmental and worker-safety advocates argue that the trend demonstrates the need for stronger prevention measures rather than fewer federal requirements.
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Two recent emergencies have intensified those concerns.
In May, approximately 40,000 residents in and around Garden Grove, California, were ordered to evacuate after a tank containing the highly flammable chemical methyl methacrylate began overheating and threatened to rupture or explode. The evacuation area extended into several neighboring Orange County communities.
Days later, a chemical tank containing more than 500,000 gallons of caustic liquid collapsed at a paper mill in Longview, Washington. Eleven workers were killed and eight others were injured, according to authorities. The cause of the tank failure remains under investigation.
Federal oversight of high-risk facilities is largely organized through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Program. The program requires facilities storing certain quantities of hazardous substances to identify possible accident consequences, establish preventive procedures and prepare emergency-response plans.
Approximately 11,500 agricultural suppliers, chemical manufacturers, food processors, refineries, water-treatment facilities and other industrial sites are currently covered by the program, according to the EPA.
The Biden administration strengthened those rules in 2024 through its Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention regulation. Among other provisions, the update expanded requirements related to independent audits, employee participation, investigation of accident causes, evaluation of safer technologies and preparation for natural disasters that could trigger chemical releases.
The Trump EPA is now proposing to rescind or modify many of those provisions. Its plan would scale back requirements involving third-party audits, safer-technology reviews, employee participation and the public availability of facility information.
The EPA argues that some of the 2024 requirements are duplicative, unnecessarily burdensome or unsupported by evidence showing that they would reduce accidents. The agency says its proposed replacement would continue protecting public health while aligning federal regulations more closely with existing workplace-safety standards.
Critics disagree, arguing that measures such as backup safety systems, automatic shutoffs and independent audits can help identify dangerous weaknesses before a fire, explosion or toxic release occurs. They also warn that reducing publicly accessible information could make it more difficult for nearby residents and emergency responders to understand the chemicals stored in their communities.
The debate affects a large share of the population. EPA estimates published with the 2024 rule indicated that approximately 131 million people live within three miles of a facility covered by the Risk Management Program. Lower-income communities and several minority populations are disproportionately represented near those sites.
The Trump administration previously proposed eliminating the roughly $14 million annual budget of the independent Chemical Safety Board. Congress rejected that request and preserved funding for the agency through the remainder of fiscal year 2026. Its longer-term funding, however, could again become part of future budget negotiations.
Because the board does not issue fines or directly regulate companies, its influence comes primarily from investigating major disasters and recommending changes to prevent similar accidents. Those findings can guide manufacturers, regulators, lawmakers and emergency responders even when adoption of the recommendations is voluntary.
The policy dispute ultimately centers on who should bear the financial and public-health risks associated with dangerous industrial operations. Companies argue that overlapping federal requirements can raise costs without necessarily improving safety. Worker and environmental groups counter that insufficient prevention can transfer far greater costs to employees, surrounding communities, hospitals, emergency departments and taxpayers after a disaster occurs.
Why It Matters
Chemical fires, explosions and toxic releases can kill workers, force families from their homes, interrupt local businesses and leave taxpayers responsible for large emergency responses. Aging facilities and increasingly severe natural disasters may create additional risks for communities near industrial sites.
The EPA’s final decision will determine whether thousands of facilities must implement the expanded prevention and transparency measures adopted in 2024.
What Comes Next
The EPA will review public comments before issuing a final version of its proposed Risk Management Program changes. Environmental groups, industry organizations and labor advocates could challenge the eventual rule in court.
Congress will also decide whether to continue funding the Chemical Safety Board after fiscal year 2026, while investigations into the recent California and Washington emergencies may produce additional safety recommendations.
Federal data analyzed by PEER shows a sharp increase in reported U.S. chemical accidents since 2021.
🔴 US chemical accidents up 51% as Trump EPA dismantles safety rules
Chemical accidents, explosions, and fires releasing toxins into the atmosphere rose from 83 in 2021 to 131 in 2025, according to data obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer). Deaths… pic.twitter.com/HhUaUPCMRV
— NewsTongue (@NewsTongueX) July 9, 2026
