Blast at Hemmel-is everyone ok?

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Blast at Hemmel-is everyone ok?
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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Dec 11, 05 9:02 pm Post subject:

dougal wrote:

I had thought of Dioxins as being rather long-lived... {shrug}

Ish. They won't break down quickly, but you're better asking whether they'll persist as harmful compounds in an accessible place in the environment. And does this present a significant increase in risk above what you're exposed to in the South East anyway.

It's more burning plastics than fuel oils that'll produce dioxins; as yet, we don't know what other crap went up with the fuel; on the whole, I'm not too concerned about the long term damage the fuel will do. When seeking planning for depots like the one that went off, things like leaking into the water table are taken into account. Where this cloud might be a problem will be if a lot of crap comes down in the catchment area for a reservoir.

Quote:

As above, its herbivores, rather than humans, that I would expect to be at risk. Fortunately, there's not many crops being harvested right now.

As for coming down on land, as you say it's bare soil at the moment, but it could be the ruin of winter wheat and winter rape crops. If you think way back to when the Braer went down and spewed its oil all over Shetland in the storm, a lot of people thought the worst, but soil microbes quickly dealt with the worst of it and the land was back into production before long.

I'm hopeful. I REALLY hope that it isn't misplaced hope.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Dec 11, 05 9:58 pm Post subject:
There was much less smoke this afternoon, than earlier and although we can see the glow in the sky, it doesn't seem to be so bad, although I haven't seen any news reports this afternoon. I can't imagine they would be any good at predicting stuff - they can't even count! There were four blasts that we heard here - defintitley!

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Sun Dec 11, 05 10:42 pm Post subject:
Didn't hear any bang here, mind you, I didn't get in till 2am so was out for the count. We got a light hazy smog here in Essex around 2 pm though, and could see a distinct dark layer of cloud low on the horizon. It' s all a bit surreal.

Milo

Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Oop North-ish.

Posted: Sun Dec 11, 05 10:49 pm Post subject:

Quote:

IF it's oil, petrol and kerosene burning, then pollution will be short lived.

Pollution including GHGs?

Four days of that sort of fire puts our vehicle mileage reducing efforts into an odd perspective, doesn't it.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 05 8:12 pm Post subject:
Sort of - Its a petrol logistics centre, and if we didn't (collectively, I mean) use so much petrol, then so much wouldn't need to be distributed and stored, and wouldn't have been hanging around in the first place. Can see why people get discouraged though

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45521
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Dec 29, 05 4:29 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

dougal wrote:

The question is what else is there? What are the contaminants?

Some dioxins, assorted sulfur compounds, some benzene and other mixed up organic chickenwire, mid chain length and heavier hydrocarbons, that kind of thing. Nothing I'm too worried about for the long term, it's amazing the way most of that stuff breaks down in the soil, but short term it's messy and unpleasant.

+ c particulates , co and co2 .pretty much the same as when it is used in cars ,heating ,planes etc . .how much more is torched up in motors everyday .?.there are some ugly organic compounds come off burning wood though .

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