As well, approximately 300 fish died due to the result of leaking chemicals into a creek behind the Synthron plant which leads into the Catawba River.

Since 1986, 1,200 drums of toxic waste and 22 underground storage tanks leaking chemicals into the ground have been removed.

Moreover, leaking chemicals of these polymers are often deleterious to the surrounding cells and tissue and immobilise post-operative drug treatments.

Over the years indiscriminate dumping has resulted in a large number of environmentally dangerous sites that are leaking toxic and hazardous chemicals.

Water, a greater evil in this storm than wind, also posed an environmental and public health disaster of leaking industrial chemicals and animal wastes.

Some neglected landfills were found to be leaking hazardous chemicals into groundwater and shut down.

These were put on hold with the discovery in 2003 that the structure was leaking toxic chemicals into the sediment in wetlands bordering San Francisco Bay.

The E.P.A. is involved because wastewater treatment plants have failed in lowland areas and some factories may be leaking dangerous chemicals.

"There has been some contamination from leaking chemicals," said Alex Tice, a spokesman for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Federal officials, concerned that leaking chemicals might mix and produce "an uncontrollable situation," began to stabilize the site.