Emission of white powder after ammonia leak

olefins 4 nak 4 sabic op chemelot vanaf dak van goyenflat gezien

Sittard-Geleen.nieuws.nl

Geleen – On Sunday 19 October an ammonia leak occurred at the Chemelot site. Luckily the fire brigade managed to contain the leak and measurements taken by the fire brigade have shown that the surrounding area was not affected by the ammonia leak.

Following the leak, white powder was discovered at several locations. The powder has been identified as melamine, according to the South Limburg Safety Region (Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Limburg).

Melamine is used as a raw material in everyday products such as kitchenware, laminate flooring, and furniture panels. The powder has so far been found in the municipalities of Sittard-Geleen (Born and Buchten) and in Echt-Susteren (Susteren).

According to the safety region, short-term exposure to the substance in open air does not pose any cause for concern regarding lasting health effects. Breathing in and contact with the powder on the skin and in the eyes can cause irritation.

No produce from home gardens

The Safety Region advises citizens to wash any skin that comes into contact with the powder thoroughly with water and soap, and cleaning surfaces where the powder has settled with water and soap while wearing household gloves. An updated advice by the Safety Region to rinse homegrown produce thoroughly before consumption has meanwhile been repealed.

People are now advised not to eat any homegrown produce for the time being and to prevent pets from playing and digging in areas where powder is present.

Update 21 October

Following the advice of national experts, the municipalities of Sittard-Geleen and Echt-Susteren are now launching a precautionary investigation into the melamine powder that was emitted during the ammonia leak at Chemelot. The Safety Region says that there is no direct reason for concern.

The national institute for Public Health and Safety (RIVM) will conduct this investigation, the results of which are expected within a few days from now.

♦♦♦

As an extra service, in cooperation with Buddy System Sittard-Geleen, local news is being translated for the many expats living in Sittard-Geleen and surroundings.

Als extra service worden, in samenwerking met Buddy System Sittard-Geleen, nieuwsberichten vertaald voor de vele expats in de gemeente.

♦♦♦

· Stay informed via Facebook, X or via the newsletter, you can also subscribe at the bottom of this page.

· Submit a local (press) release or event? You can do so via [email protected] .

Want to advertise on Sittard-Geleen.nieuws.nl? Visitor numbers continue to rise, which is good for the visibility of our advertisers, among other things. Do you want to increase your brand awareness?

We are happy to help you think about how to spend your advertising euros as optimally as possible. By advertising locally on Sittard-Geleen Nieuws at a competitive price! Contact Paul Storms by phone: 06-22543972 or by email: [email protected] .

The news desk can be reached via [email protected].