Vizag Gas Tragedy leaked Styrene Gas

Styrene Gas leaked from LG Polymers Plant in Vishakhapatnam. The tragedy claimed eight lives.

What is a Styrene gas?

Styrene is a chemical compound identified as neuro-toxins. It is also known as Vinyl Benzene, Ethyl Benzene and Phenyl Benzene. Styrene Gas is colourless and odourless. The gas spreads in air very quickly.

Styrene gas is generally used in the making fan cupa, fan blades and other cutlery. It is also used in making containers where cosmetic products are stored.

Health Impacts

The Styrene gas affects respiratory system. It causes chest congestion, gasping, air hunger and wheezing. It slowly paralyses the lung muscles causing complete respiratory paralysis. This leads to death due to oxygen deprivation.

Death occurs within 10 minutes of continuous exposure to concentrate Styrene gas.

The Tragedy

The Styrene Gas leak from a South Korean electronics giant LG has claimed lives of at least 11 people and affected more than 1000 residents. The plant was located about 15 km from the coastal city of Vizag.

The changes in temperature inside a storage tank resulted in leak. Around 5 villages were affected due to the leak.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2020