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All 14 Prime Recycling Workers Released After Mystery Powder Sends Them to Hospital
A white powder that went airborne at a Lenoir recycling plant Monday sent 14 workers to the hospital with breathing problems; all have been released and the facility reopened Tuesday as hazmat crews test the unidentified substance.
LENOIR, N.C. â Fourteen workers at a Caldwell County recycling facility were treated and released after an unidentified white powder went airborne during normal operations Monday, sending them to the hospital with breathing difficulties and prompting a hazmat response.
The incident began Monday, Nov. 9, at Prime Recycling on Watson Street in Lenoir, according to fire officials. Employees reported trouble breathing after opening boxes and encountering the powdery substance, which became airborne inside the plant.
Lina Lemus, human resources manager at the Lenoir facility, said workers followed emergency procedures once they spotted the material: they halted operations, evacuated the building and called 911.
Public safety officials evaluated 22 people at the scene, and 14 were taken to UNC Caldwell for further medical assessment. By Wednesday, all had been cleared.
"The health and safety of our employees comes first," Lemus said. "We are relieved to report that every employee who was evaluated has been cleared and released."
The Lenoir Fire Department and a hazmat team led the investigation and collected samples of the substance for off-site testing. Authorities have not yet identified what the powder was or how it ended up in the material stream.
"We are cooperating fully with authorities leading the investigation, and we are reviewing how we receive and handle materials," Lemus said. "We will share more information as it becomes available."
The facility reopened Tuesday after hazmat officials determined it was safe to resume operations. Monday's second and third shifts had been suspended as a precaution.
The incident highlights the hazards facing recycling workers who handle mixed and often unpredictable incoming materials. It also raises questions about what safeguards are in place to screen shipments before they reach the sorting floor â a concern for a workforce that processes unknown items daily.