Eagle Environmental Services, Inc. (Eagle Environmental) has prepared the following descriptions of activities and findings to date for Emergency Response activities related to the August 22, 2025, Smitty’s Supply incident.
Washington Parish Government officials took quick action to ensure the safety and protection of Washington Parish residents. On the morning of August 23, 2025, during the discovery of potential impact from the release, Washington Parish Government immediately authorized Eagle Environmental Services, Inc. (Eagle Environmental) to evaluate the impact. Eagle Environmental conduct targeted environmental assessments, including sampling of soil, sediment, surface water, crops, grasses, and air quality. These targeted environmental assessments were conducted at residential, educational, recreational and agricultural areas within the suspected potentially affected areas of Washington Parish.
Sampling locations were selected by their geographic location and/or guidance from Washington Parish Government officials, often in response to requests from local residents. Eagle Environmental collected the samples using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)/Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) industry protocols, with analysis by an LDEQ certified analytical laboratory, and with evaluation of results to applicable LDEQ standards.
Black sooty material released from the Smitty’s Supply was observed in Washington Parish, as documented by their residents. Sample results are currently being received and evaluated. Results for all media except air were generated by Waypoint Analytical, which maintains accreditation through the Louisiana Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. Samples were analyzed by Waypoint Analytical using EPA/LDEQ approved analytical methods. Preliminary analyses received thus far indicate that the sample results from affected areas fall within acceptable criteria established by the EPA and/or the LDEQ.
The EPA and LDEQ have established a command center in Amite City near the incident site in Tangipahoa Parish. Notably, the EPA and LDEQ issued a public statement on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, as published in the Louisiana state journal, The Baton Rouge Advocate. The statement August 29, 2025 Memorandum Page 2 noted that the sooty material “does not pose ‘an imminent threat to public health.’” The full article can be accessed at: https://app.theadvocate.com/article/officials-black-soot-no-imminent-th…
According to the EPA: “Based on the data currently available, there is no indication of any imminent threat to public health from the soot or smoke residue deposited in the surrounding area, the EPA statement said. Out of an abundance of caution, residents are advised to take general hygiene precautions, including washing any outside surfaces that may have been impacted by soot or smoke and practicing good hand-washing after contact with outdoor surfaces. Do not ingest any deposited soot or come into direct contact with areas of concentrated residue.”
Eagle Environmental conducted air quality monitoring within 24 hours of Smitty’s Supply release in suspected affected areas in Washington Parish using mobile and stationary air monitoring methods. These results also did not indicate a threat to public health.
On August 23, 2025, a joint statement EPA/LDEQ statement confirmed: “LDEQ and EPA teams are conducting air quality monitoring both within and outside this zone. As of this release, all air monitoring results have shown either non-detectable readings or levels well below health-based or actionable thresholds, as confirmed earlier today by the Louisiana State Police (LSP).” The statement can be viewed at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-and-ldeq-update-smittys-supply-fir….
As an added precaution for Washington Parish residents, Washington Parish Government instructed Eagle Environmental to continue mobile air quality monitoring for three additional days beyond the initial LSP statement and extended the stationary air monitoring for an additional six days. The air monitoring results were consistent with EPA and LDEQ air monitoring findings.
Additionally, Smitty’s Supply has set up a hotline at 877-891-2276 for residents looking to file claims connected to the Roseland explosion.
