In an interview with Aravot.am, former director of “Nairit” plant Karen Israyelyan, referring to the fire that had broken out in the acetylene store, told how those wastes were being neutralized previously.
According to Karen Israyelyan, previously, when the plant was operating, these wastes were burned in special furnaces thus being neutralized. And after stopping the plant’s operation, the waste has not been burnt and has accumulated.
According to Mr Israyelyan, “Earlier we had accumulated waste as well, which we were slowly burning in the prescribed mode and according to the capacity of the furnaces. And because the plant stood, quite a large amount of waste accumulated. For burning the waste, the plant needs to have a gas supply, since the furnaces operate through gas. The plant currently has no gas supply. Now “Nairit” is going bankrupt, and those wastes must have been neutralized. Yervand Zakharyan, during his office as Minister of Energy, stated in the National Assembly that about 100 million dollars would be needed to neutralize the plant, and the burning of waste was also included in the process of neutralization, as well as neutralization of other chemicals was also included in those 100 million. Of course, these 100 million were not provided”.
As Mr Israyelyan noted, after stopping the plant, the Ministry of Emergency Situations must provide technical security, by the decision of the government. Karen Israyelyan said, that the Ministry of Emergency Situations should pour out some brine on the waste to eliminate the friction with air, and to avoid fire break, as the materials contained therein produce gases and are inflammable.
According to Mr Israyelyan, previously the administration of the plant neutralized the danger of fire break with brine too. Karen Israyelyan said, that waste containers are in the open air, which contain also toluene inflammable chemical along with the acetylene, which according to Israyelyan is petrol, and the gases produced from these wastes come into contact with the air catching fire in high air temperature.
These days, the Ministry of Emergency Situations announced that there was a fire hazard due to the high temperature of the air. That is the Ministry must have realized that the wastes in the open air could catch fire in high temperature.
According to Israyelyan, the Ministry of Emergency Situations must have taken actions to neutralize the possibility of fire break, during this period, when the plant was not operating, and its security was handed to this department. They needed to be aware of the technology. The plant has not informed the ministry that it should be done in such a way”.
Aravot.am asked a few questions to the Ministry of Emergency Situations on the issues raised by Israyelyan. Specifically, what actions the Ministry of Emergency Situations had taken to neutralize the explosiveness of wastes of the plant. The Ministry of Emergency Situations promised to clarify this and other issues within the timeframes established by law. That is, within 5 days to 1-month period.
Nelly BABAYAN
