The fire at the La Canonja petrochemical plant in the town of Tarragona on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 14 (which has so far caused one death, eight injuries and one missing person) worries both the population and the authorities. The cause of the explosion is still unknown , and firefighters continue to investigate to clarify what type of failure (human or technical) could have triggered this incident.
A few hours after the explosion occurred, Civil Protection advised the citizens of the nearby municipalities to “seclude themselves in their homes” for greater security. The next morning, the confinement was lifted as no toxic danger was seen in the air. However, the potential toxicity continues to worry many.
What substances are handled in this petrochemical plant and what is their toxicity? How dangerous can they be? Two experts from the Rovira i Virgili University of Tarragona answer 5 questions that you will probably be asking yourself after the incident.
1. The explosion: what happened?
Around 6:41 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14, an explosion occurred at the petrochemical plant in the Canoja industrial estate in Tarragona.
According to official information, there was an explosion in a reactor , which has affected a tank with tanks containing a hydrocarbon called ethylene oxide, a highly flammable material.
At this time, there are still products in combustion in the tank, which continues to burn like a torch. Firefighters say the fire is under control, and that they continue to cool the tank to keep it under control.
2. What is a petrochemical plant?
The petrochemical industry produces raw materials from hydrocarbons, such as oil or gas. These raw materials are used to manufacture materials that humans use for our infrastructures ; for example, paint, PVC vinyl chloride, rubber styrene, and various types of plastics.
Petrochemical plants require complex facilities for the combustion of these hydrocarbons to take place , which includes, broadly speaking, reactors that raise the substances to enormous temperatures and tanks for their storage.
3. What is ethylene oxide?
The petrochemical plant that has exploded works with ethylene oxide, a very light hydrocarbon, with a low molecular weight and, therefore, highly flammable.
According to Xavier Farriol, Professor of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Pollution Risks: “Although it is a highly flammable material, it is not such an exotic product, nor is its use anything unusual.”
In this type of industry, ethylene oxide is worked at very high pressure and temperatures. Its uses are very diverse : as antifreeze, to manufacture many types of polymers, and as a disinfectant in the pharmaceutical industry, in textiles …
4. Is it carcinogenic? What risk of toxicity is there?
The expert clarifies that ethylene oxide is classified as “probably carcinogenic”, but “only in very long exposures , and in highly charged atmospheres”. Furthermore, this substance would be irritating on direct contact. “I don’t think there is any risk to the firefighters who are extinguishing the fire.”
On the other hand, the authorities have communicated that no kind of toxic cloud is seen in the environment , so there would not be any kind of risk for the neighboring population.
“We are facing a very serious accident, let’s not forget it; but it is serious because of the explosion and the fire, which is toxic in itself. We are not talking about dangerous toxicity produced by the plant’s chemicals ”, Farriol clarifies. “The toxicity is expected, that of a fire, but in no case are we talking about a kind of Chernobyl, not even on a small scale .”
For his part, Francesc Castells, Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering, also believes that the gases emitted by the explosion and the current fire “should not be particularly toxic to firefighters or to the nearby population.”
5. What security measures does a petrochemical plant have?
La de la Canoja is a petrochemical plant that was inaugurated in 1966 (by Francisco Franco), and it was the first plant of its kind in Tarragona, being a pioneer in Spain. This plant has changed hands on several occasions, and is now owned by the company IQOXE (Ethylene Oxide Chemical Industries). Despite its age, it was extensively renovated about a year ago , so all security measures should be up to date.
For Francesc Castells: “The level of security of the petrochemical plants in Spain is great; although, of course, it is never zero , and there is always room for improvement. All industrial activity carries associated risks, even if they are minimal. But, in my opinion, they are acceptable. The alternative would be to stop manufacturing these products, ”he explains.
Image: EFE Agency.
