Disposal of chemical at Samut Prakan blast site to take 5-10 days
With about 600 tonnes of styrene left at the foam factory, the site of a deadly blaze last week in Samut Prakan province, the company tasked with clearing the site says the process will take 5-10 days depending on weather conditions.
Akkhie Prakarn Public Co Ltd (AKP), which specialises in industrial waste disposal and is based in Samut Prakan’s Bang Pu district, will be responsible for the disposal of chemical at Ming Dih Chemical Co factory where an explosion occurred last Monday, the company announced on Saturday.
The fiery explosion at the foam factory in Soi King Kaew 21 in Rachathewa subdistrict forced the evacuation of residents living in a 5-kilometre radius of the factory.
“The company has started transporting styrene from the blast site to dispose of at our incinerator in Bang Pu district, which is capable of burning at 1,200 degrees Celsius to destroy the chemical at the molecular level,” AKP chief executive officer Wanchai Leungwiriya said on Saturday.
“As there are about 600 tonnes of styrene left at the foam factory, we expect that the process will take 5-10 days depending on weather conditions. Rains could slow down the unloading of the chemical from the factory’s reserve to our ISO tank trucks.
“We will work as fast as we can to make the area safe as soon as possible so that people residing near the factory can safely return to their homes,” added Wanchai.
He also assured that AKP is highly experienced in the disposal of chemical and industrial waste, including styrene, which is mostly used in resin and plastic industries. “We use methods that are certified under industrial standards to ensure the safety of nearby communities and environment,” he said.
