Cyanide contamination high in Tianjin explosion ground

Cyanide contamination high in Tianjin explosion ground

Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:58AM

This picture, taken on August 20, 2015, shows workers in hazmat suits cleaning up the site of recent explosions involving chemical material in Tianjin, China. (Photo by AFP)

Chinese authorities say the site of recent explosions in the port city of Tianjin remain wreathed in high levels of toxicity, more than a week after a massive warehouse containing dangerous materials blew up there.
Technicians say deadly levels of cyanide in the core area are 356 times the national standard level.
However, toxic levels outside the zone show no undue contamination, according to state media reports.
Investigating the how
At least ten people have reportedly been taken into custody – including top officials of the warehouse’s management company – over the incident, which was in violation of China’s strict safety rules.
The Tianjin warehouse is owned by Tianjin Dongjiang Port Ruihai International Logistics Company.
Authorities want to know how the warehouse was unlawfully able to store toxic chemicals, including sodium cyanide, ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate, even though it was located less than the required 1,000 meters from public facilities.

This image shows a local resident of the Chinese port city of Tianjin wearing protection clothing, August 18, 2015. (Photo by AFP)

After the incident, Beijing called on all factories and warehouses producing and holding hazardous goods to be thoroughly inspected.
The State Council of China issued an emergency last Friday, instructing government departments to review the rules for handling dangerous chemicals and explosives, and to firmly implement special regulatory measures for highly toxic chemicals such as cyanide.
The original Tianjin blast reportedly caused several other explosions, killing some 114 people. Hundreds of others were also injured in the tragic incident.
The warehouse had been built four years ago as a storage place and distribution center for containers filled with dangerous goods at Tianjin Port.