Beirut Blast: List of places in the world where ammonium nitrate is being stored

Team Udayavani, Aug 11, 2020, 2:36 PM IST

After the Beirut explosion, there has been safety concerns over the storage of ammonium nitrate world

Ammonium Nitrate is commonly used in fertilizers and as an industrial explosive, ammonium nitrate is considered relatively safe if handled properly, but it has proved lethal.

Also, some countries have banned ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer because it has been used by militant bomb-makers

India

Around 697 tonnes of the chemical was kept in the container freight station near Chennai. The chemical was seized from a Tamil Nadu-based importer who had allegedly declared the substance as fertiliser grade although it was explosive grade.

A small amount was disposed of after being damaged by floods in 2015. However, a huge consignment of ammonium nitrate stored at the Sattva Container Freight Station is now being moved to Hyderabad keeping in mind the Beirut blast

Iraq

According to BBC, After the Beirut blast, Iraqi government has ordered an immediate review of hazardous materials at ports and airports and found ammonium nitrate had been stored at Baghdad international airport.

Yemen

Sources claim, more than 100 containers of ammonium nitrate are being kept at the southern port of Aden. It was imported three years ago and seized by Saudi-led forces backing the UN-recognised government.

Australia

A large stockpile of ammonium nitrate is stored in a warehouse 3km from  the city. People of Newcastle, New South Wales had earlier asked the government to move or reduce the stockpile

But the company that supplied the stockpile said that it was stored safely in areas with all the safety measures in place

UK

According to BBC’s report, An investigation has been launched into the ammonium nitrate that has been stored  at a large port in Lincolnshire, Immingham and other sites at Humber region.

Associated British Ports (ABP), which runs the sites, said UK ports had to follow strict regulations and ensure the substance was stored and handled safely.

Also, a company based at Portsmouth’s port, Portico, has withdrawn an application to store ammonium nitrate and said the substance would not be going through the site.