---
title: "PEER Report finds US chemical accidents are rising as Trump rolls back protections"
description: "CBRNe World provides those tasked with defending against CBRN and IED threats with the essential practical, scientific and political information. Access the current and previous issues of the magazine by registering as a member."
url: "https://cbrneworld.com/news/peer-report-finds-us-chemical-accidents-are-rising-as-trump-rolls-back-protections"
date: "2026-08-12T12:41:52+00:00"
language: "en-GB"
---

#  PEER Report finds US chemical accidents are rising as Trump rolls back protections

 [Zoe Rutherford](#)

Author

09 July 2026

A new report from the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has revealed a worrying rise in industrial chemical accidents across the US, with incidents involving chemical releases increasing by 51% since 2021. Accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities have also risen, climbing from 60 in 2021 to 89 in 2025. The figures come as the Trump administration moves to roll back chemical safety regulations introduced in 2024. [PEER report: Industrial Chemical Accidents Rise Amid Safety Rollbacks](https://peer.org/industrial-chemical-accidents-rise-amid-safety-rollbacks/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

The report links the increase in accidents to ageing industrial infrastructure and warns that weakening regulations could further increase the risk to workers, emergency responders and surrounding communities. Recent incidents, including the evacuation of more than 40,000 people following a chemical tank failure in California and the collapse of a storage tank in Washington that killed 11 workers, highlight the potential consequences.

The proposed changes would remove or weaken requirements for high-risk facilities to adopt modern safety technologies, improve emergency planning and implement additional safeguards to prevent major chemical releases. The administration has also proposed eliminating funding for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), despite the agency's role in investigating incidents and identifying lessons to prevent future accidents. Around 40% of Americans live within three miles of one of the country's 12,000+ high-risk chemical facilities, making the implications far-reaching.

There is full article on The Guradian on the issues https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/09/us-chemical-accidents-trump

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