Hydrogen chloride!

[BDG]

The article in the DM says it was carrying hydrochloride - this is a salt that is formed from hydrochloric acid. If I mix hydrochloric acid and the base (alkali) sodium hydroxide, I get NaCl - common salt and water.

The DM does not say which hydrochloride salt it was, but it being transported with paper makes me think it would be something like ethanolamine hydrochloride, used in printing or one of the hydrochloride salts used in paper manufacture.

Whilst they are not something I would sprinkle on my chips, they are not that bad.

If I were TPTB, I would have not widely publicised it in the local area - potential to create a scare where no should exist. I would have also said a salt used in XYZ industry rather than hydrochloride which has got minds jumping to conclusions.

If it had have been a tanker full of Hydrochloric acid and it found its way into the water, water creatures on a very local level would have died and the effect would have been very short lived. if anything, it would clean the water course a little.