Industrial Disasters - Styrene vapour leak from LG Polymers plant at R. R. Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district of AP

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  Industrial Disasters - Styrene vapour leak from LG Polymers plant at R. R. Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district of AP

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• The possible reason for gas leak is stagnation and changes in temperature inside the storage tank that could have resulted in auto polymerization (chemical reaction) and vapourisation of the styrene.
• Styrene - Styrene is an organic compound with the formula C8H8. It is a derivative of benzene (C6H6). It is stored in factories as a liquid, but evaporates easily, and has to be kept at temperatures under 20°C. It is found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke, and in natural foods like fruits and vegetables. It is a flammable liquid that is used in the manufacturing of polystyrene plastics, fiberglass, rubber, and latex.
• Dangers of Styrene - Short term exposure of it can result in respiratory problems, irritation in the eyes, irritation in the mucous membrane, and gastrointestinal issues. Long-term exposure could drastically affect the central nervous system and lead to other related problems like peripheral neuropathy. It could also lead to cancer and depression in some cases but there is no sufficient evidence of an association between styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma.
• As per National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), over 130 significant chemical accidents have been reported in recent history. There are over 1861 Major Accident Hazard (MAH) units spread across 301 districts and 25 states and three Union Territories in all zones of the country.
• Laws related to Industrial Disaster in India – 

1. At the time of the Bhopal gas tragedy, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the only relevant law specifying criminal liability for such incidents. After that Bhopal Gas Leak (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985  gives powers to the central government to secure the claims arising out of or connected with the Bhopal gas tragedy. Under the provisions of this Act, such claims are dealt with speedily and equitably.
2. The Environment Protection Act, 1986 gives powers to the central government to undertake measures for improving the environment and set standards and inspect industrial units.
3. The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 is an insurance meant to provide relief to persons affected by accidents that occur while handling hazardous substances.
4. Under the National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997 act the National Environment Appellate Authority can hear appeals regarding the restriction of areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries shall not be carried out or shall be carried out subject to certain safeguards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
5. National Green Tribunal, 2010 provided for the establishment of the National Green Tribunal for effective and expeditious disposal of cases related to environmental protection and conservation of forests.

• Bhopal Gas Tragedy – It was a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster. Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas. The highly toxic substance made its way into and around the small towns located near the plant. The official immediate death toll was 2,259. In 2008, the Government of Madhya Pradesh had paid compensation to the family members of 3,787 victims killed in the gas release, and to 574,366 injured victims.

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

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