On March 24, 2023, the Trinseo Altuglas chemical plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania in the United States had an equipment failure that resulted in a leak of between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons of butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and methyl methacrylate into Otter Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River.

In late March 2023, the Delaware River faced a significant environmental crisis following a chemical spill from the Trinseo Altuglas plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania. Approximately 8,100 to 12,000 gallons of a water-soluble latex finish leaked into Otter Creek, a tributary of the river. The spill caused widespread panic in the Philadelphia region, as the river provides drinking water for millions. For several days, residents were advised to use bottled water as a precaution while the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and the Coast Guard performed high-value "real-time" testing of the water intake at the Baxter Treatment Plant. Ultimately, the city’s complex computer models and intake management prevented the chemicals from entering the public supply. By 2026, this event is cited as a high-value case study in urban water resilience, leading to the installation of even more sophisticated "early warning" sensors along the river to protect the city's vital high-value water resources from future industrial accidents.