Herbicide leaks onto road near Iowa City following I-80 accident

Interstate 80 was closed for at least four hours on Wednesday when a tanker accident caused gallons of herbicide to spill near the highway.

According to release from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Bork transport trailer was traveling in the eastbound lane about a mile east of Exit 246 when it slipped off the road and landed on its passenger side, spilling 200 gallons of Roundup Weather Max into an adjoining ditch. The accident happened at 10:30 a.m. in the construction zone east of the Highway 1/Dodge Street interchange.

The Iowa City Fire Department, West Branch Fire Department, Johnson County Haz-Mat team Iowa City Police, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa Department of Natural Resources worked to contain the hazardous fluid and reroute traffic through the northeast side of Iowa City.

The release said the Iowa City Fire Department built earthen dams and placed absorbent pads near the spill to contain it. The Haz-Mat team successfully recovered about 50 gallons of the substance and sand was dumped on the affected area in order to absorb the herbicide before a full clean up.

Crews were also working to prevent more herbicide from leaking from a break in the tanker, forcing them to raise the truck off its side with a heavy duty wrecker. The tank was removed from the accident scene, and the Department of Natural Resources will continue to monitor the spill until the material is removed.

The driver was taken to an Iowa City hospital for treatment, but the release said his condition is unknown.