RADFORD, Va. (WDBJ) – The search for lost chemical bins in the New River after flooding at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant was suspended, according to RAAP.

Travis Patton with RAAP States nine of thirteen bags still missing and all active searches have been called off.

All communities downstream of the RAAP are asked to immediately report any sightings of the bins to local law enforcement or firefighters via non-emergency lines.

The Radford Army Ammunition Plant suffered significant flooding following Hurricane Helene. As we reported, this caused dozens of employees will be put on technical unemployment.

It also led to the potential release of thousands of gallons of chemicals into the New River, according to a state report. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said 13 chemical containers were missing after the storm.

The chemical is dibutyl phthalate, or DBP. It’s an oily liquid used to make everything from plastics to paints, insect repellents, nail polish and even rocket fuel. The National Library of Medicine says it can cause developmental and reproductive problems in both men and women. The DEQ report states that each bin contained 275 gallons, or about 3,600 gallons total of DBP.

Boats, drones and helicopters were all used to try to locate them, all the way to Bluestone Dam in West Virginia. Since the initial report on October 14, at least four of the bins have been found, with varying amounts of DBP missing. The report says only 225 gallons total were released into the environment.

The report also states that the plant is seeking a contractor to perform sampling and remediation of a discharge on private property in Parrott, Virginia.

A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health told WDBJ7 that because there is no water intake in the New River downstream of the plant, there is no concern that that the released chemicals are in anyone’s drinking water.

BAE Systems, the company that operates the Radford plant, said it does not believe there is any risk to public health or wildlife.

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