The document summarizes a gas leak disaster that occurred at an LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam, India on May 7, 2020. Styrene gas leaked from the plant starting at 2:30 AM, killing 12 people and hospitalizing over 800. Styrene is classified as a hazardous chemical and the plant did not have a valid environmental clearance at the time of the accident. The document provides background on styrene and its health effects, characteristics, and details about the causes and impacts of the accident.

1. LG Polymers Gas Leak Disaster
Visakhapatnam, India
Dr N Sai Bhaskar Reddy
saibhaskarnakka@gmail.com

2. LG Polymers Accident
ACCIDENT: GAS LEAKED
FROM 2:30 AM
ONWARDS ON 7TH MAY
2020
NAME OF THE GAS:
STYRENE MONOMER
GAS
AS PER THE COMPANY
IT IS USUALLY
REFRIGERATED FOR
SAFE STORAGE

3. 1.5 kms
distance from
center of the
factory

4. Health impacts
TOTAL DEAD: 12 PEOPLE HOSPITALISED: 800 NOS

5. Technical fault
ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURE, STORAGE AND
IMPORT OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL RULES 1989,
STYRENE IS CLASSIFIED AS A “HAZARDOUS AND TOXIC
CHEMICAL”. THE STORED MATERIAL IS SAID TO BE
STYRENE MONOMER
IN AN AFFIDAVIT SUBMITTED TO THE STATE LEVEL
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY
(SEIAA), LG POLYMERS INDIA ADMITTED THAT AS OF
MAY 10, 2019, THE UNIT DID NOT HAVE A “VALID
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE".
FACTORY OPENED AFTER 43 DAYS (CLOSED DOWN ON
24TH MARCH)

6. Symptoms after exposure
Breathing difficulties
Burning sensation in the
eyes
Irritation to the skin and
nose
Gastrointestinal effects

7. What happens when I am exposed to
Styrene?
Short-term:
Exposure to styrene can
cause:
• Irritation to the eyes, skin,
and nose
• Gastrointestinal effects
• Respiratory effects
Long-term:
Long-term exposure to
styrene can cause:
• Central nervous system
and kidney effects
• Headaches
• Depression
• Fatigue and weakness
• Hearing loss
• Balance and concentration
problems
• Cancer

8. Characteristics of
Styrene
• Styrene is a flammable liquid that is used to make
polystyrene plastics, fiberglass, rubber, and latex
• Styrene, also known as ethenylbenzene, vinylbenzene,
and phenylethene, is an organic compound with
the chemical formula C6H5CH=CH2.
• This derivative of benzene is a colorless oily liquid although
aged samples can appear yellowish. The compound
evaporates easily and has a sweet smell, although high
concentrations have a less pleasant odor.
• Styrene is the precursor to polystyrene and several
copolymers.

9. Vizag Smart
City
Fastest growing city
The current metro
area population of Visakhapatnam in 2020 is
2,175,000, a 2.35% increase from 2019.
18,480/km2
Visakhapatnam is one of the 100 fastest growing cities
in the world

10. Smart City
• AECOM is preparing the
Visakhapatnam Smart City
Framework Plan on behalf of the
Government of Andhra Pradesh
funded by a grant from the United
States Trade and Development
Agency. The infrastructure
components of the plan include
transportation, water, energy, land
use, and governance.

11. Potential Risks
• Cyclones/Floods
• Tsunamis
• Industries and vehicular Pollution
• Deforestation
• Ports
• Corona

12. HPCL Disaster
refinery on
September
14,1997 - killing
70

13. Role of civil
defence
The Civil Defence policy of the
Government of India, till the
declaration of Emergency in 1962,
remained confined to making
States and UTs conscious of the
need for civil protection measures
and asking them to keep
ready civil protection plans for
major cities and towns under the
Emergency Relief Organisation
[ERO]
-

14. Environment Protection Act 1986
‘CATEGORY A’ PROJECT FOR WHICH A “PRIOR
ENVIRONMENT CLEARANCE” FROM THE UNION MINISTRY
OF ENVIRONMENT WAS REQUIRED. HOWEVER, THE
COMPANY FILED FOR CLEARANCE WITH THE ANDHRA
PRADESH STATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
AUTHORITY, WHICH IN JUNE 2019, TRANSFERRED THE
PROPOSAL TO THE CENTRE.
DELISTED FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
PORTAL IN NOVEMBER 2019 SAYING THAT “IT SEEMS THAT
THE PP (COMPANY) IS NOT INTERESTED TO CONTINUE THE
PROJECT”.
LG POLYMERS, WHICH HAD IN 1997 BOUGHT THE PLANT
FROM MCDOWELL & COMPANY, (HPCL DISASTER
HAPPENED IN 1997) APPLIED FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL
CLEARANCE FOR THE PLANT FROM ANDHRA PRADESH
POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD IN MAY 2019 WHEN IT
WANTED TO EXPAND ITS CAPACITY FROM 415 TONNES
PER DAY (TPD) TO 655 TPD.

15. Causes of
the disaster
• Control Center failure – response teams
• Lack of coordinaton between the line
departments
• Lack of integrity among the stakeholders
• Ease of doing business
• Taxes, pollution and corruption.