Chemical Spill at University Triggers Hazmat Response and Evacuations

Hazmat teams were called to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, on June 24 after a beaker in a microwave caused a chemical spill, leading the microwave to malfunction and release smoke into the laboratory. The incident took place in Oliver Hall, which was evacuated while crews contained the smoke under a lab hood and in one classroom, WTVR CBS 6 reported.

The public was asked to avoid the area while crews responded to the incident. University officials released a statement hours later saying the situation was resolved, WRIC reported.

“Incidents like this are common—not necessarily a beaker in a microwave, but anything that causes some sort of noxious fumes being released into the environment,” said Gina Jones, Vice President, Director, Environmental Programs, Burns & Wilcox, Denver, Colorado. “Pollution releases can be catastrophic in nature, especially when it is unknown who exactly breathed in these fumes.”

Incidents like this are common—not necessarily a beaker in a microwave, but anything that causes some sort of noxious fumes being released into the environment.

Two weeks later on July 8, a “hazardous materials incident” was reported at the University of South Dakota after a chemical spill in the Churchill Hanes Laboratory, forcing the evacuation of the building. No injuries were reported, and the building was ventilated for safety, according to KTIV.

Even small chemical spills can lead to major expenses, which may be covered by an institution’s Pollution Legal Liability (PLL) Insurance, Jones said. “When an area is evacuated due to a chemical release, anyone who was in the vicinity of that release could need to be checked out medically to make sure nothing is wrong,” she said. “That can be covered under the PLL Insurance policy.”

Pollution risks on college campuses

In March, the Science Building at Adelphi University’s Garden City campus in New York was temporarily closed after a chemical spill was reported, according to the university. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, an investigation was underway in 2024 into the death of a custodian who worked at a science building on campus where a chemical spill had occurred, KOB 4 reported.

“In my opinion, universities are one of the entities that need Environmental Insurance the most,” Jones explained, pointing to the risks associated with science labs, research activities, and older buildings that may have mold, lead, or asbestos. “There is so much going on at universities that could result in a pollution condition.”

Pollution claims are typically excluded on Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance policies, making PLL Insurance a necessity for these institutions. After a chemical spill, the policy can help pay for cleanup costs, business interruption, regulatory fines and penalties, third-party property damage and bodily injury claims, legal defense, and more.

Even incidents associated with student housing could lead to pollution releases, according to Jones, who referenced a claim involving a fraternity house where gelatin spilled from an inflatable pool. “That was considered a pollutant,” she said. “Universities are a huge exposure and for the most part, they go uninsured. CGL Insurance is usually not going to cover anything like that, and if it does, it would typically be a very small sublimit and it may not even cover the cost of an investigation.”

Injuries, business interruption among possible chemical spill impacts

A 2022 study of more than 11,000 U.S. facilities that store large volumes of toxic chemicals found that about 190 accidental chemical releases to air, water, or land occurred each year, according to the nonprofit Frontier Group. Although the recent Virginia Commonwealth University chemical spill appeared to be small and quickly contained, any pollutant release can lead to significant costs—especially if individuals are sickened by chemical fumes.

“When you smell something and it makes you nauseous or sick, that is a pollutant. A paint fume is a pollutant,” Jones said. “On a college campus, where you have so many individuals, that is a serious concern.”

In addition to cleanup costs, medical expenses for injured third parties, repairing natural resources damage, and potential class-action lawsuits, companies responsible for a chemical release should know that they could also be held liable for impacts on nearby businesses. “If you have a building across the street that had to shut down because of [the spill], that company may be liable for the business interruption,” Jones said. “If individuals cannot go to work, or students cannot sleep in their dormitories, that can also be covered by the PLL Insurance policy.”

PLL Insurance, also known as Environmental Impairment Liability Insurance, can cover owned or permanently leased locations, including storage facilities, and often extends coverage “from cradle to grave,” including the transportation and disposal of chemicals. “Our policies are very broad, and they are customizable,” Jones said.

Losses may be realized much later

According to Jones, a chemical release that does not lead to immediate injury claims could still prompt litigation in the future. This is part of why legal defense is one of the most commonly utilized aspects of PLL Insurance. “The policy is triggered the most for defense,” she said. “We do not know whether five years from now, someone might say they were in that area when this [spill] happened, or that they now have symptoms related back to this chemical. You may not know the loss today, but it could manifest itself in the years to come.”

Almost any business could be affected by this type of incident, Jones added. “Every single account has a pollution exposure—but many do not even recognize it, or they think it is not going to happen to them,” she said.

Every single account has a pollution exposure—but many do not even recognize it, or they think it is not going to happen to them.

When purchasing PLL Insurance, it may be necessary to layer multiple policies in order to obtain high enough limits—a growing challenge in the Environmental Insurance market due in part to the rise of nuclear verdicts.

“Nuclear verdicts are a big deal out there in our industry as a whole. They certainly drive up the cost of insurance, and they are contributing to reduced limits and higher deductibles that carriers are willing to offer,” Jones said. “It is really important that you work with an environmental expert to layer your coverage properly and ensure there are no gaps.”