By Richard T. Cartwright, PE, CHMM, (IHMM, AHMP and APICS) Fellow. Richard died April 21, 2025; honoring the work he did with hazmat history is one small way to keep his memory alive.
The saying, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it” is more than a cliché. It is a reminder that we must constantly be learning from the past. Here’s a look back at major historical events that happened today in the world of hazardous materials.
Each year, July 11 is the United Nations World Population Day. This is a day to recognize dynamic needs associated with the growing global population. The world’s population has surpassed 8 billion. With rapid population growth, demand for natural resources is increasing, while availability is decreasing. Our world is undergoing transformational change triggered by global population growth and a rising middle class in developing geographies. Innovative hazardous materials managers are needed to develop sustainable solutions in response to this megatrend challenge of explosive global population growth.
July 11, 1979
America’s first space station, Skylab, made a spectacular return to earth. It broke up in earth’s atmosphere and showered burning debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia. The bad news is that the space station’s orbit began to deteriorate earlier than was anticipated because of unexpectedly high sunspot activity. The good news is that no one was injured
July 11, 1978
A truck carrying liquefied propylene gas, used in to manufacture alcohol, crashed into the Mediterranean beach resort campsite near Los Alfaques, Spain, where 217 people died. Flames shot up 100 feet into the air. The explosion created a crater 20 yards in diameter.
July 11, 1953
A mass polio inoculation was initiated in the United States to stop the spread of the deadly disease infantile paralysis. Fourteen years later on the same day, the Medal of Freedom was awarded to Doctor Jonas E. Salk for his work on battling poliomyelitis/Polio.
July 11, 1927
Theodore Maiman, American physicist, was born. He patented the first working laser using a pink ruby medium. Lasers produce monochromatic coherent light (light in which the rays are all on the same wavelength and phase). The good news is that lasers are now used in eye surgery, dentistry, range-finding and manufacturing. The bad news is that lasers pointed at a cockpit can temporarily blind pilots and distract them while they are taking off or landing a plane. The rising number of laser attacks has led to legislation that criminalizes pointing a laser at an aircraft. This crime is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
July 11, 1811Amedeo Avogadro, Italian physicist, published his hypothesis that equal volumes of gases under the same conditions of pressure and temperature contain the same number of particles. Avogadro’s Number, which is the number of gas molecules in one mole (atomic or molecular weight measured in grams), is 6.022 x 1023.
Historical hazardous materials management events are posted 365 days a year at this LinkedIn discussion group.
