Beirut explosion could happen in Newcastle

[Bobby]

Beirut explosion raises fresh concern about Newcastle's
much larger ammonium nitrate stockpile


ABC Newcastle

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-05/ ... e/12527546


By Ben Millington
Posted Yesterday at 7:51pm, updated 4hhours ago


The deadly Beirut blast that killed more than 100 people has driven fresh calls for a large ammonium nitrate stockpile and plant in Newcastle, storing up to four times the amount reportedly detonated in the blast, to be relocated away from residents.
Key points:

Between 6,000 and 12,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate
is stored at Orica's Kooragang plant in Newcastle
The plant is within 800m of North Stockton residents and 3km of the Newcastle CBD
Orica says safe storage of the chemical is strictly regulated and audited

Lebanon's Interior Minister said 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was in the Beirut blast.

Newcastle's stockpile of between 6,000 to 12,000 tonnes is stored at Orica's Kooragang Island plant in the Port of Newcastle, according to the company.

"That factory is only three kilometres from Newcastle's CBD and only 800 metres from North Stockton residents," said chemical engineer and community campaigner Keith Craig.

"It's a totally inappropriate place to have such a dangerous material produced and stored, and it's something we've been complaining about for many, many years.

"Many people would be killed and injured if we had an accident at Orica."


Mr Craig said he understood the risk in Australia was much lower, but the catastrophic consequences of any accident were too great.

He is one of 300 residents that form the Stockton Community Action Group, which has long called for the Orica plant to be relocated, or its stockpiles of ammonium nitrate to be significantly reduced.
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Community groups in other neighbouring suburbs such as Mayfield and Tighes Hill have also strongly expressed their concern over the plant's proximity for many years following several major ammonium nitrate explosions around the world.
An ammonium nitrate plant.

[Black Orchid]

i didn't even know there was a stockpile in Newcastle. I have one word for that (Red would be proud of me lol)

MORONS!!

[Bobby]

Something must be done about it and heads must roll.

It is inexcusable that over 6,000 tonnes
of ammonium nitrate is stored so close to residents.

[Redneck]

i didn't even know there was a stockpile in Newcastle. I have one word for that (Red would be proud of me lol)

MORONS!!

Oi no funny jokes at Moi expense!

[Bobby]

i didn't even know there was a stockpile in Newcastle. I have one word for that (Red would be proud of me lol)

MORONS!!

That is proof that the people running the state of NSW need to be in prison now.

I wonder if we have such stockpiles in Victoria?

[billy the kid]

Surely you guys arent suggesting that our politicians are incompetent.....

[Bobby]

Surely you guys arent suggesting that our politicians are incompetent.....

They are idiots and they need to be stood aside and
proper administrators put in charge who have more than half a brain.

[billy the kid]

Beirut was a missile attack

[Black Orchid]

Beirut was a missile attack

???

[billy the kid]

Beirut was a missile attack

???

My grandson has lebanese friends...they have shown him film taken in Beirut
of a missile striking the location....quite obvious he says....