At LG Polymer factory in Vizag, officials battle to neutralise styrene vapour

Styrene is a building block in plastic manufacturing and is used to make polystyrene plastics, fibreglass, rubber, and latex.
People being rushed to hospital due to LG Polymer gas leak
People being rushed to hospital due to LG Polymer gas leak
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The country woke up to horrifying images on Thursday - parents holding onto their unconscious children as they rushed to a hospital; people lying on the road as they waited for medical help and more. But at the LG Polymers India Pvt Ltd factory at Gopalapatnam in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam, efforts are still on to contain the gas leak, which is responsible for at least eight deaths and sending scores to the hospital.

Ten hours after the gas leak, authorities are still at work to ensure that any release of vapours from the 2,000 kilolitre tank in the factory is fully contained.

For this, officials of the Andhra Pradesh Department of Factories and LG Polymers are trying to neutralise the chemical reaction that led to the release of the vapour. 

Speaking to TNM, Joint Chief Inspector for Vishakapatnam J Shiva Shankar Reddy with the Department of Factories, said that the 2,000 kilolitre Styrene monomer tank needs to be cooled daily. “The factory has been shut since lockdown and only maintenance work was being undertaken. There appears to have been a temperature difference at the top and bottom of the tank that led to the formation of vapours,” the officer said. 

Styrene is a building block in plastic manufacturing and is used to make polystyrene plastics, fibreglass, rubber, and latex. It is a highly flammable liquid and exposure to its vapours can cause irritation of the skin, eyes and even immobilise a person.

The neutralising process to contain the formation of vapour is still on at the plant. “We are adding Methylenedioxybenzene (MDB) and Trichlorobenzene (TCB), for polymerisation, this will inhibit the further release of these vapours by diluting the material,” said Shiva. When asked if the leak has been contained, the official said, ”The process is still going and some vapour release is still there.” The factory has a stock of MDB and TCB in their premises, as is mandated and this was being used in the neutralisation efforts, the official added.

The factory that was shut since lockdown was only planning to resume operation, no work was undertaken at the factory on Wednesday, the official said.

”The tank has to be cooled all the time. Since the tank had been idle since March-end, there was a build-up of vapour which was released,” said Shiva.

He added that the factory was only doing regular maintenance “At night, only security guards were present in the factory at the time of the incident,” he added.

In a statement to The New York Times,  LG Chemical stated that they are working together with the local authorities to assess the damage caused to the local people and to take whatever it takes to protect them and our workers.

The company in its statement, however, claimed that the gas leak was under control, “The gas leak from the factory is now under control. But the gas can cause vomiting and dizziness when inhaled. We are doing all we can to ensure medical treatment as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, the Industries minister for Andhra Pradesh Mekapati Goutham Reddy stated that the burden of proof was with LG Polymers India Pvt Ltd and warned of criminal proceedings against the firm if they were found negligent.

(With Inputs from Charan Teja)

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