VISAKHAPATNAM: The spread of styrene monomer vapours in the air depends on the wind speed and currently personnel are working to neutralise the air with chemicals such as 4-tert-Butylcatechol (TBC), a senior official of the Department of Factories said on Thursday.
A major leak from a chemical plant of LG Polymers near here in the wee hours impacted villages within a five-km radius, leaving 11 people dead and scores of citizens complaining of breathlessness, nausea and other problems.
Shiva Shankar Reddy, deputy inspector of factories, told TNIE that para-tertiary butyl catechol (PTBC) was used to neutralise the gas. “However, as the inhibitor has been exhausted, we could not arrest the gas leak 100 per cent. This led to rumours that there was fresh leak from the storage tank, which is not true,” he clarified.
“As the vapour is getting mixed with air at a height of 10 to 15 metres, people smell styrene whenever there is a change in the wind direction. This may have led them to believe there was another leak,” he said.
Shankar Reddy added that the gas started emanating from the tank from 3 am and its intensity was high between 3.30 am and 4.30 am. “It was during this time that people who inhaled the gas fell ill. We began neutralising the gas in the morning with PTBC available with us.” Replying to a query on the reason for the leak, Shankar Reddy said styrene is a highly inflammable liquid and should be kept in much below room temperature, for which water coolants are used.
During the lockdown, there was no production in the plant and the temperature of styerene in the tank should have been maintained. “Though the management claims that they took steps to maintain the required temperature, it went wrong somewhere. When attempts to resume operations were made, styrene started emanating through the vapour valve,” the official explained.
He said that the government was airlifting 500 kg of PTBC from Gujarat. “Once we get the PTBC inhibitor, we will resume the exercise of neutralising the remaining styrene.” Shankar Reddy said that their top priority was arresting the gas 100 per cent. The official observed that the plant was shut down during lockdown and, after May 3, all industries in non-containment zones were allowed to operate. “Hence, the question of taking permission did not arise.” Shankar Reddy said the director of factories has been supervising the entire exercise of neutralising the styrene.