In the Houston shipping channel on May 10, 2019, a tanker navigating in heavy rain collided with two barges, dumping a smelly liquid called reformate into the water. Reformate, which is used to increase octane levels in gasoline, is highly toxic to marine life, flammable, and potentially deadly if swallowed by humans. Parts of the channel were closed after the spill, and people in nearby communities reported a strong, petroleum-like odor coming from the bay.
