Document g2zDZm6KgJZx9Rr7wbkrQKZkQ

l . lmjj n f\ jj nuujmsu i> I 1_ 1-- t1U.il iU I Oi i^uU .>an iM-n nu.uiu r.u4 Is (A THE DANGERS OF TRANSPORT In each case the VCM caught fire, and In It csmm the neighbouring population had to be ev- n view of the nature of vinyl chloride mono ecueted- Imer (VCM), it is extremely disturbing that most of the vast quantity of VCM produced Tbrae examples; worldwide i$ manufactured far from where ft wiU2t March 1979: A freight train carrying, among be eventually polymerised Into PVC It If thereother thing* tanks containing VCM and butadln* fore transported around the world from Industrial was derailed near Lawisville. Arkansas, USA. The ' plant to industrial plant, by road, rail and tea tanks exploded and bum into flames. The fire spread to nearby chemical plant of the IP. Petroleum Co. where crude oil end petro chemical products were Stored. The fire raged out of control and the plant was almost completely destroyed. 1.700 inhabi tants of LewH-vWa had to be evacuated. 9 May 1990: Collision at the Nurnbirg switchyard in Germany. One maneouwring unit consisting of S Russian tank car* loaded with 50 tons Of VCM each, could not be sufficiently slowed down and the tanks exploded. The risk of accident* represent prtfent dangers to communities living along these transport routes. When transported, VCM b compressed and liquified- Any leaks can lead to explosion* since ignition temperatures and critical temperatures art both low (minus 77 and below 160 degrees Celsius, respectively).1 Ignition may be caused by flame* spades or hot wrfaces. when VCM escape* It forms pools of mist wfikh, being heavier than air, creep along the ground, if ignited, they will flash bade to the source of leakage. targe VCM firm are almost impossible to contain. VCM is only slightly soluble in water and reverts to a gaseous state quickly, floating above the water until It forms a gas. On the water surface, it combines with air to form explosive mbettem. VCM leaked into sew age systems is also highly explosive. m-- 21 July 1990: A freight tram was derailed near Louisville. Kentucky, USA, and two VCM tank ears erupted In flames. Two thousand people had to be evacuated. All attempts to extinguish the fire felled. flue days later, specialists finally managed to extinguish the blaze- Minor incidents Involving VCM transport are even more frequent The West German Federal Agency for the Emrfronment fists Incidents Involving VCM up to 1995 wOrtAMda. Yet up to 1,000 tonnes of compressed VCM ere transported from Solvay't plant In Rhalnburg, northern Germany, to another Solvey plant in Ferrara, Italy by rail each week. The shipments pen through some of Europe's mast densely populated residential and Indurtrial areas. And this b just one example, concerning one plant Commenting m 19tt on such transport of VCM, a German toxicologist stated: Serious rell transport accidents Involving VCM are well-documented; at least 17 took piece between 1964 and 1990.* '~.we conduda that the transport of such a highly dangerous chemical by ran or by road can- not be Justified, because It poses an extreme 7*571 | *<H CMA 112001 Post 1f" b r3~d fa elrnne*m;tfaf SOWd csezsBsvtz ai Ala SIAN IA odd W3H3AXO WOUd 60-41 EG-OC-NWT uyvunPwLi nuwnfw o uu IC.L I3U . LO~ f Oi^ZiJUU jdfi /u.yo no.uiu r.u.5 threat to the population In the event of fire or explosion, end can conceivably causa Incalculable material damage-.' the tramport of VCM by (hip pates direct threat to the world's oceans. Hydro Poiymen Ltd. one of surope's largest PVC manufacturers, k tho UK arm of the Scandinavian petrochemical con cern Norsk Hydro (which oho has PVC operations in Norway, Sweden and Singapore). Yugoslavian coast and could not be salvaged. By 1M7, it had become apparent that VCM was leaking from the vessel. The ship was salvaged In 1988, but an unknown volume of VCM had already been released Into the mertne environ ment,1 it is pracPOad that the Far last and Latin America will remain significant Importing regions for the remainder of this decade. Clearly, the Z 3D<tfd Hydro Polymers produce 125.000 tonnattyeer of PVC resin, and 60^00 tonnetyear of PVC compound.' All this volume is produced from VCM which t transported across the North Sea In weekly shipments from Rafnes, Norway, to Tierude in the UK. Mth increased production capacity planned,. Hydro Polymers will soon be shipping even greater volumes of VCM acrocs one of the world's stormiest seas. transport of mMioni of tonnes of this toxic che mical is a ceum for mejor concern. ink "NWawWaa Sm AeaoemerVkef CfWrtW.* MrsmA.MMMNRe^OL'WMMHOaNSWmmfMrMn Mneimwirtia.aecsmemwrvc.iwwaawsui.> 1 osammsAwaickaiesweanlkklesif owe faw cMeWk joiun. 4 aeeaiekeoee'fcwem t nwmaiiiewcacasiwewei rvtw mwatyniwu *mr The chemkal giant lO also ships huge quan tities of VCM across the North Sea - at least 100,000 toruws annually from the UK to Hi plant in Wftlemthaven In Northern Germany. KU also drips 80.000 tonnes of VCM annually from WMermhaven to Portugal.' In 1984 . the freighter ' 8right* Montart', carrying 1300 tonnes of VCM. sank off the CMA 112002 4MSNTChar IWt Omwywew ><m ludwt HetoewgrtM ITA 101* DW Amnudtm. Km knhsrtandc11-20-523 *555 cs seeeetz ai nia SIAN IA Sdd H3H3AXO <HOdd B0Ll E6-0I-NVf