Q & A about impact of Zhangzhou PX plant's explosion on Xiamen
Q: Why did the plant burn again after the fire was put out?
A: According to the preliminary analysis of experts, there was some residue that remained in the storage tanks after the fire was put out that had a higher temperature than the spontaneous point of the chemical liquid. When the foam (which was used for putting out the fire) dissipated, and a 7-level wind occurred, the residue contacted with the air and began to burn again.
Q: Will the explosion pollute Xiamen’s air and water?
A: There has been no significant change to Xiamen’s air and water quality since the explosion. Up to 15:00 on April 7, the AQI index of Xiamen was 20-56, and the AQI at 10:00am on April 8 was 19-56, according to the official WeChat account of the Xiamen Environmental Protection Bureau. Besides, after the explosion, the PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in Xiamen stayed at normal levels. The Xiamen Environmental Protection Bureau also conducted emergency monitoring to drinking water sources, atmospheric precipitation, and transition-section atmospheric conditions after the explosion, and no relevant pollutants were found.
Q: Are residents living around the PX plant evacuating?
A: The local government organized residents to evacuate quickly after the explosion. Up to April 8, a total of 29,096 residents have been successfully evacuated.
Q: Is the explosion an environmental incident?
A: According to the assessment released by the experts of the National Environmental Bureau, the explosion did not negatively influence Gulei’s water or air, so it is more a safety incident than an environmental incident.
Q: What is PX?
A: PX is short for paraxylene, a kind of chemical product that is highly flammable. Exposure to paraxylene can cause dry skin and redness, while the ingestion of p-xylene can result in a burning sensation, abdominal pain, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, and nausea. Besides, paraxylene can cause issues with the central nervous system and if swallowed can cause chemical pneumonitis.
Q: What is PX used for?
A: It can be used in the production of clothes, drug capsules, packaging materials, construction materials, electronics, vehicles, machinery, gas, etc.
Q: Does PX have the ability to destroy a city?
A: Both of the accidents at the PX plant, including the explosion accident and the chemical spill accident, can cause serious damage to buildings and people nearby, but the influence zone is only around 100 meters, so it doesn’t have the ability to destroy an entire city.
Why Xiamen
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Xiamen is one of the most economically competitive cities in China and was one of the first Special Economic Zones on the Chinese mainland. As a vice-provincial city independently listed on the State development plan, it has provincial-level authority in economic administration and local legislative power. In 2010, the Xiamen SEZ was expanded to cover the entire municipality. Today, Xiamen is a modern and international port city.