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Pasir Gudang Methane Poisoning


Carbon82
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By the time the river flows into the sea adjoining Pulau Ubin, the toxic liquid will be diluted by the mass sea water. Thus the methane gas will be thinned out and not causing us harm!

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From safety point of view, if one is not aware of the hazard and risk he/she is subjected to, how can he/she be protected from harm, or to get situation under control?? :pissed-off:
 
 

cleanup-of-sungai-kim-kim-river-in-pasir

 

pasir-gudang-methane-poisoning.jpg

 

pasir-gudang-methane-mahathir-hospital-s

 

PASIR GUDANG, Johor: “First, the doctors said six hours of observation, then it became 24 hours and later 48 hours … After that, they allowed us to go home … I could see that they were not very sure of what they were treating,” said Ms E Sujatha.
 
Her 11-year old son, who fainted at SK Taman Pasir Putih on Mar 7, was one of the earliest victims of the toxic waste pollution in Pasir Gudang that has since affected more than 2,700 people.
 
In the hospital, the doctors were not aware of what chemicals had affected the patients. Instead, some patients were given antibiotics or anti-vomiting medication, she recounted when interviewed by Channel NewsAsia on Thursday (Mar 14).
 
“Right now, we don’t know who is to blame (for the chemical dumping) but we are determined to take legal action ... For the victims’ families, we would really like to go all out to sue them.”
 
Ms Sujatha is among residents in Pasir Gudang who say the situation could have been better handled by the Johor Disaster Management Committee, especially in the area of public communications.
 
Mr Izurin Muhammad Amin, another resident in the area added: “At the moment, residents are in a panic and no one (from the state government) is giving any accurate information”.
 
He said most residents are ready to be evacuated if ordered to do so.
 
Mr Muhammad Fauzi Rohani, the chairman of a residents body against environment pollution in Sungai Kim Kim said the authorities should provide more information to residents through a townhall session.
 
“Right now, children are still playing outdoors as no one has informed us on how dangerous the situation is,” he said.
 
“Once the culprit is proven guilty, we will prepare litigation,” he stated.
 
He said those who have been affected indirectly should also be compensated. Over the past week, residents had to put up with a lot of inconvenience, including endless ambulance sirens at night, he added.
 
When asked on Friday whether the local government could have done more in terms of public communications, State Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman Sahruddin Jamal did not respond directly.
 
Dr Sahruddin said: “I hope all the state assemblymen and members of parliament will meet the people to explain and tell them what has been done so that the people will understand.”
 
Two schools - Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Pasir Putih and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pasir Putih - were first ordered to shut on Mar 7, after students and school employees breathed in methane fumes from chemicals that were illegally dumped in the nearby Sungai Kim Kim.
 
Initial cleaning works on Mar 8 had inadvertently worsened the chemical reaction, as the contractor engaged was not experienced in dealing with chemical waste.
 
Over the weekend, at least 82 people were hospitalised or sought treatment. Three men were detained.
 
A second wave of methane poisoning hit just hours after the two schools re-opened on Monday.
 
On Wednesday, all 111 schools in Pasir Gudang were ordered shut by Malaysia’s education ministry.
 
Some residents have reportedly evacuated from the area.
 
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stressed on Thursday that there was no need to declare a state of emergency.
 
“No … it has not reached that stage (where an emergency has to be declared). There is no need for any evacuation, but we must be careful," Dr Mahathir said.
 
The clean-up is expected to be completed within a week.
 
Despite the assurances, some residents do not want to take the risk.
 
Mr Izurin said that he has moved his family out of Pasir Gudang.
 
For Ms Sujatha, she has sent her three children to Kluang, around 120 km away from the affected area. “Now we feel safer for our kids by sending them away but what happens to those who don’t have siblings or relative nearby?”she asked.
 
Meanwhile, the number of people affected continues to grow.
 
The Pasir Gudang Indoor Stadium has been converted into a temporary treatment area. On Thursday night, people continued trickling in to seek medical attention.
 
According to a man who declined to be identified, he brought his 11 year-old son to the treatment centre after he complained of dizziness.
 
“He started to vomit and I rushed him here to have a proper scanning by the medical team,” he said.

 

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Received this picture but don't know if its fake or not ..... :slow:

Wtf?!?!!?!!?!!??!!?!!?? [crazy]

Saw on TV there are bags of black gooey stuff dump into the river.

:grin:

post-25827-0-70852700-1552651842_thumb.jpeg

post-25827-0-62370400-1552651849_thumb.jpeg

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pasir-gudang-methane-poisoning-sungai-ki
 
pasir-gudang-methane-poisoning-kim-kim-r
 
JOHOR BAHRU: What started out as an isolated incident of illegally dumping chemicals into a Johor river has escalated into a wave of methane poisoning cases, with more than 2,700 people taken ill.
 
The Malaysian education ministry has closed all 111 schools in Pasir Gudang, while the federal parliament debated a motion on whether to declare a state of emergency, only to later decide against it.
 
Here’s what we know so far:
 
Mar 6: A tanker lorry believed to be from an illegal tyre recycling factory dumps 20 to 40 tonnes of chemical waste into Sungai Kim Kim.
 
“The oily substance is believed to be oil waste commonly used in marine engine compressors and is considered scheduled waste that needs to be disposed of properly under the law,” says Johor Department of Environment’s director Mohammad Ezzani Mat Salleh.
 
Mar 7:  Thirty-five people, mostly students, are hospitalised after breathing in methane.
 
Two schools - Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Pasir Putih and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pasir Putih – situated around 0.5km from the dump site, are ordered shut.
 
Mar 8: Initial cleaning works inadvertently worsens the chemical reaction, as the contractor engaged was not experienced in dealing with chemical waste.
 
Authorities did not dispose of the chemicals in the river after concluding that they were no longer reactive. The decision was also taken due to the costs involved.
 
Twenty-one students remain hospitalised.
 
Mar 10: Three men are said to have been detained, including two factory owners and a worker who are all in their 50s.
 
Mar 11: The two affected schools reopen but a second wave of methane poisoning hits. More than 200 people are affected.
 
This is “unexpected and regrettable”, says Johor chief minister Osman Sapian.
 
Mar 12: The number of people seeking treatment rises to 260, as 13 schools are ordered shut.
 
The Sultan of Johor Ibrahim Iskandar orders the authorities to act against those responsible.
 
“As a result of the irresponsible act, hundreds of people, including students and pupils, had to be rushed to hospital … These are my people and I will not let this continue. I urge all government authorities to quickly arrest and penalise the offenders,” says the sultan.
 
Mar 13: The education ministry orders all 111 schools in Pasir Gudang to close, while the number of people affected crosses the 500 figure.
 
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad refutes a viral report that a student has died. 
 
Mr Osman, the chief minister, says the situation is under control and there is no need to declare a state of emergency in the area. "I don't expect the situation to worsen. Our main concern now is to complete the cleaning works as quickly as possible."
 
Meanwhile, the federal government allocates RM6.4 million (US$1.56 million) to clean up a 1.5-km stretch of the river.
 
Mar 14: More than 2,700 people are affected by the incident.
 
The federal parliament approves a motion to debate whether a state of emergency should be declared. However, lawmakers decide against the move.
 
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says there is no need to declare a state of emergency, while reminding all quarters to exercise more caution.
 
“No … it has not reached that stage (where an emergency has to be declared). There is no need for any evacuation, but we must be careful," Dr Mahathir says, when asked if there is a need to declare an emergency for Pasir Gudang or evacuation of residents there.
 
“Those mobilised to contain the situation must also be prepared to handle the problem,” he tells reporters after visiting victims who have been admitted to the Sultan Ismail Hospital.
 
The situation has stabilised and cleaning works at the site are ongoing and should be completed within a week, the New Straits Times reported Mr Osman as saying.
 
The Johor Sultan pledges RM1 million (US$244,700) to help aid efforts.
 
The crown prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, hits out at the authorities over their handling of the incident.
 
In a series of tweets, he says: “Since the first day (Mar 7), an emergency should have been declared and residents temporarily evacuated elsewhere, until it was guaranteed safe.” 
 
Mar 15: The police say no arrests have been made thus far, despite earlier reports that three men have been nabbed.
 
“We did not say it. There were other parties that mentioned that, but the police do not have any arrests,” says police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

 

 

 
malaysian-football-chief-tunku-ismail-su
 
JOHOR BAHRU: The crown prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, has hit out at the authorities over their handling of a toxic waste pollution incident that has so far left more than 2,700 people ill.
 
In a series of tweets late Thursday (March 14), the outspoken royal said: “Since the first day (Mar 7), an emergency should have been declared and residents temporarily evacuated elsewhere, until it was guaranteed safe.”
 
“Two thousand people affected and no need to declare an emergency. Wow. Amazing.”
 
“Never mind that there wasn't (an emergency) declaration. But at least evacuate the area until everything is stable and safe,” he added.
 
The Sultan of Johor Ibrahim Iskandar has pledged RM1 million (US$244,700) to help aid efforts. He has also ordered authorities to act against those responsible for dumping the toxic waste and asked for a thorough investigation.

 

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Hypersonic

wah since it was giving off methane, they should have paid off some petrol kiosk attendant and dumped it into the cng storage tank...

 

 

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Was at Punggol jetty and noticed a blue buoys put up on the sea along the entire stretch from Punggol Marina all the way to Coney Island there. There was also a Hazmat truck parked at Punggol 24th Avenue.

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Yeah man ass kicking time for the Sultan, weeooweet

 

 
pasir-gudang-methane-poisoning-sungai-ki
 
pasir-gudang-methane-poisoning-kim-kim-r
 
JOHOR BAHRU: What started out as an isolated incident of illegally dumping chemicals into a Johor river has escalated into a wave of methane poisoning cases, with more than 2,700 people taken ill.
 
The Malaysian education ministry has closed all 111 schools in Pasir Gudang, while the federal parliament debated a motion on whether to declare a state of emergency, only to later decide against it.
 
Here’s what we know so far:
 
Mar 6: A tanker lorry believed to be from an illegal tyre recycling factory dumps 20 to 40 tonnes of chemical waste into Sungai Kim Kim.
 
“The oily substance is believed to be oil waste commonly used in marine engine compressors and is considered scheduled waste that needs to be disposed of properly under the law,” says Johor Department of Environment’s director Mohammad Ezzani Mat Salleh.
 
Mar 7:  Thirty-five people, mostly students, are hospitalised after breathing in methane.
 
Two schools - Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Pasir Putih and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pasir Putih – situated around 0.5km from the dump site, are ordered shut.
 
Mar 8: Initial cleaning works inadvertently worsens the chemical reaction, as the contractor engaged was not experienced in dealing with chemical waste.
 
Authorities did not dispose of the chemicals in the river after concluding that they were no longer reactive. The decision was also taken due to the costs involved.
 
Twenty-one students remain hospitalised.
 
Mar 10: Three men are said to have been detained, including two factory owners and a worker who are all in their 50s.
 
Mar 11: The two affected schools reopen but a second wave of methane poisoning hits. More than 200 people are affected.
 
This is “unexpected and regrettable”, says Johor chief minister Osman Sapian.
 
Mar 12: The number of people seeking treatment rises to 260, as 13 schools are ordered shut.
 
The Sultan of Johor Ibrahim Iskandar orders the authorities to act against those responsible.
 
“As a result of the irresponsible act, hundreds of people, including students and pupils, had to be rushed to hospital … These are my people and I will not let this continue. I urge all government authorities to quickly arrest and penalise the offenders,” says the sultan.
 
Mar 13: The education ministry orders all 111 schools in Pasir Gudang to close, while the number of people affected crosses the 500 figure.
 
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad refutes a viral report that a student has died. 
 
Mr Osman, the chief minister, says the situation is under control and there is no need to declare a state of emergency in the area. "I don't expect the situation to worsen. Our main concern now is to complete the cleaning works as quickly as possible."
 
Meanwhile, the federal government allocates RM6.4 million (US$1.56 million) to clean up a 1.5-km stretch of the river.
 
Mar 14: More than 2,700 people are affected by the incident.
 
The federal parliament approves a motion to debate whether a state of emergency should be declared. However, lawmakers decide against the move.
 
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says there is no need to declare a state of emergency, while reminding all quarters to exercise more caution.
 
“No … it has not reached that stage (where an emergency has to be declared). There is no need for any evacuation, but we must be careful," Dr Mahathir says, when asked if there is a need to declare an emergency for Pasir Gudang or evacuation of residents there.
 
“Those mobilised to contain the situation must also be prepared to handle the problem,” he tells reporters after visiting victims who have been admitted to the Sultan Ismail Hospital.
 
The situation has stabilised and cleaning works at the site are ongoing and should be completed within a week, the New Straits Times reported Mr Osman as saying.
 
The Johor Sultan pledges RM1 million (US$244,700) to help aid efforts.
 
The crown prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, hits out at the authorities over their handling of the incident.
 
In a series of tweets, he says: “Since the first day (Mar 7), an emergency should have been declared and residents temporarily evacuated elsewhere, until it was guaranteed safe.” 
 
Mar 15: The police say no arrests have been made thus far, despite earlier reports that three men have been nabbed.
 
“We did not say it. There were other parties that mentioned that, but the police do not have any arrests,” says police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

 

 

 
malaysian-football-chief-tunku-ismail-su
 
JOHOR BAHRU: The crown prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, has hit out at the authorities over their handling of a toxic waste pollution incident that has so far left more than 2,700 people ill.
 
In a series of tweets late Thursday (March 14), the outspoken royal said: “Since the first day (Mar 7), an emergency should have been declared and residents temporarily evacuated elsewhere, until it was guaranteed safe.”
 
“Two thousand people affected and no need to declare an emergency. Wow. Amazing.”
 
“Never mind that there wasn't (an emergency) declaration. But at least evacuate the area until everything is stable and safe,” he added.
 
The Sultan of Johor Ibrahim Iskandar has pledged RM1 million (US$244,700) to help aid efforts. He has also ordered authorities to act against those responsible for dumping the toxic waste and asked for a thorough investigation.

 

 


Should immerse the perps in their own chemical waste for an hour and punishment.

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wah since it was giving off methane, they should have paid off some petrol kiosk attendant and dumped it into the cng storage tank...

 

 

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Hypersonic

It was mentioned that the waste was about 20 to 40 tons leh!

1 lorry tank usually holds about 20mt

 

if 40mt will need 2 lorry tanks

 

 

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There are something to get us worried about afterall... some chemical** dumped at Sungai Kim Kim are carcinogen (cancer causing in nature)! [shakehead]

 

While I agree that the level of concentration will be low by the time these chemical make it way to the open sea facing Pulau Ubin, but let all be more mindful of what we could potentially be exposed to. :excl:

 

Pasir Gudang chemical spill: Facts about the 10 chemicals found and their health impact

 

07436532.jpg?itok=WQtNPlZA&timestamp=155

 

SINGAPORE - The illegal dumping of toxic chemicals into a river in Pasir Gudang, Johor, has sickened more than 2,700 people, including hundreds of students.
 
Malaysia's Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin said on Wednesday (March 13) that a number of chemicals have been ascertained from the samples taken.
 
They include benzene, acrolein, acrylonitrile, hydrogen chloride, methane, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, d-limonene and hydrogen cyanide.
 
st_20190314_map14a_4691432_5.jpg
 
What are these chemicals, where are they usually found, and what is their possible impact on humans?
 
1. BENZENE**
What: Benzene is a chemical that has a sweet, aromatic, gasoline-like smell. Most people can begin to smell benzene in the air at 1.5 to 4.7 parts per million, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
 
Where: Benzene can be found in crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke. It is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes and pesticides.
 
Impact: The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified benzene as carcinogenic to humans. Human exposure to benzene has been associated with a range of acute and long-term adverse health effects and diseases, including narcosis - in which a person blacks out - and aplastic anaemia - which results in a drop in blood cell count - according to the World Health Organization.
 
Some symptoms of prolonged benzene exposure include headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, tremors and loss of consciousness.
 
2. ACROLEIN**
What: Acrolein is a clear, colourless, or yellow liquid with a pungent, suffocating odour.
 
Where: The chemical has been used to control plant and algae growth in irrigation canals. It has also been used to manufacture other chemicals, as a warning agent in gases, as a test gas for gas masks, in military poison gases, for making colloidal metals, in leather tanning, and as a fixative in histology.
 
Impact: Inhaled acrolein is highly toxic and is irritating to the upper respiratory tract even at low concentrations, according to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Acrolein is severely irritating to the skin and eyes.
 
3. ACRYLONITRILE**
What: Acrylonitrile is a colourless, liquid, man-made chemical with a sharp, onion- or garlic-like odour.
 
Where: Acrylonitrile is used mostly to make plastics, acrylic fibres, and synthetic rubber. As acrylonitrile evaporates quickly, it is most likely to be found in the air around chemical plants where it is made, according to the ATSDR.
 
Impact: Exposure to large amounts of the chemical affects mainly the nervous system. Symptoms can include headaches and nausea, while exposure to higher concentrations may temporarily damage red blood cells and the liver.
 
Long-term exposure to acrylonitrile may increase the chances of getting cancer, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
 
4. HYDROGEN CHLORIDE
What: Hydrogen chloride has a strong irritating smell. The chemical's colour ranges from colourless to slightly yellow. Hydrogen chloride vapour is corrosive.
 
Where: It can be formed during the burning of many types of plastic. The chemical has many uses, including for cleaning, pickling, electroplating metals and tanning leather. The chemical exists naturally as liquid hydrochloric acid in the stomach to aid with digestion.
 
Impact: Hydrogen chloride gas is intensely irritating to the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, and respiratory tract. Exposure to high concentrations can rapidly lead to swelling and spasm of the throat and suffocation, according to the ATSDR.
 
5. METHANE
What: Methane is a colourless, odourless and highly flammable gas.
 
Where: Methane is a primary component of natural gas, and natural sources of it include bodies of water, wildfires and digestive processes of animals.
 
Impact: Methane exposure reduces oxygen levels in the body and can cause organ damage, including to the brain and heart. Methane gas can also irritate the eyes.It is only harmful if the concentration is so high that it displaces oxygen in the air, which could lead to symptoms such as rapid breathing and a rapid heart rate.
 
6. TOLUENE
What: Toluene is a clear, colourless liquid with a distinctive smell.
 
Where: It occurs naturally in crude oil and in the tolu tree. Toluene is also produced in the process of making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil. The chemical is used in making paints, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, adhesives, and rubber and in some printing and leather tanning processes.
 
Impact: Symptoms of repeated exposure include headaches, sleepiness, and an impairment in ability to think clearly.
 
Low to moderate, day-after-day exposure to toluene can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, and loss of appetite, according to the ATSDR.
 
7. XYLENE
What: Commercial grade xylene is a clear, colourless liquid with a sweet, aromatic odour.
 
Where: It is mostly obtained from crude petroleum. Xylene is widely used as a thinner and solvent in paints, inks, adhesives, and other products, and also as a solvent in pesticide products.
 
Impact: Xylene irritates the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Acute exposure to its vapour may irritate the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
 
Symptoms of xylene poisoning include central nervous system effects like headaches, dizziness, and drowsiness.
 
8. ETHYLBENZENE
What: Ethylbenzene is a colourless liquid that smells like gasoline.
 
Where: It is found naturally in oil, and is also used in fuels. Products like gasoline, paints, pesticides, carpet glue, varnishes, and automobile products contain ethylbenzene.
 
Impact: Exposure to high levels of ethylbenzene in the air for short periods can cause eye and throat irritation. Exposure to higher levels can result in vertigo and dizziness.
 
9. D-LIMONENE
What: D-limonene is a colourless liquid or oil with a pleasant lemon-like smell.
 
Where: The chemical is widely used as a flavour or fragrance additive in cosmetics, food, and industrial solvents. It is a major constituent in citrus oils such as orange, lemon and grapefruit.
 
In the Pasir Gudang incident, the d-limonene is from the recycling of tyres, said Ms Yeo.
 
Impact: D-limonene is considered to have fairly low toxicity. Studies involving humans demonstrated low toxicity of d-limonene after single and repeated doses for up to a year.

 

10. HYDROGEN CYANIDE

What: A highly poisonous gas or volatile liquid with an odour of bitter almonds, made by the action of acids on cyanides.

 

Where: Hydrogen cyanide is a chemical warfare agent (military designation, AC). It is used commercially for fumigation, electroplating, mining, chemical synthesis, and the production of synthetic fibers, plastics, dyes, and pesticides.

 

Impact: Impedes the normal use of oxygen by the body's organs and can be deadly. All organ systems sensitive to low oxygen levels - the brain, heart, blood vessels and lungs - are vulnerable.

 

 

Sources: United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, World Health Organization, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Toxicology Data Network.

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There are something to get us worried about afterall... some chemical** dumped at Sungai Kim Kim are carcinogen (cancer causing in nature)! [shakehead]

 

While I agree that the level of concentration will be low by the time these chemical make it way to the open sea facing Pulau Ubin, but let all be more mindful of what we could potentially be exposed to. :excl:

 

Pasir Gudang chemical spill: Facts about the 10 chemicals found and their health impact

 

07436532.jpg?itok=WQtNPlZA&timestamp=155

 

SINGAPORE - The illegal dumping of toxic chemicals into a river in Pasir Gudang, Johor, has sickened more than 2,700 people, including hundreds of students.
 
Malaysia's Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin said on Wednesday (March 13) that a number of chemicals have been ascertained from the samples taken.
 
They include benzene, acrolein, acrylonitrile, hydrogen chloride, methane, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, d-limonene and hydrogen cyanide.
 
st_20190314_map14a_4691432_5.jpg
 
What are these chemicals, where are they usually found, and what is their possible impact on humans?
 
1. BENZENE**
What: Benzene is a chemical that has a sweet, aromatic, gasoline-like smell. Most people can begin to smell benzene in the air at 1.5 to 4.7 parts per million, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
 
Where: Benzene can be found in crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke. It is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes and pesticides.
 
Impact: The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified benzene as carcinogenic to humans. Human exposure to benzene has been associated with a range of acute and long-term adverse health effects and diseases, including narcosis - in which a person blacks out - and aplastic anaemia - which results in a drop in blood cell count - according to the World Health Organization.
 
Some symptoms of prolonged benzene exposure include headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, tremors and loss of consciousness.
 
2. ACROLEIN**
What: Acrolein is a clear, colourless, or yellow liquid with a pungent, suffocating odour.
 
Where: The chemical has been used to control plant and algae growth in irrigation canals. It has also been used to manufacture other chemicals, as a warning agent in gases, as a test gas for gas masks, in military poison gases, for making colloidal metals, in leather tanning, and as a fixative in histology.
 
Impact: Inhaled acrolein is highly toxic and is irritating to the upper respiratory tract even at low concentrations, according to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Acrolein is severely irritating to the skin and eyes.
 
3. ACRYLONITRILE**
What: Acrylonitrile is a colourless, liquid, man-made chemical with a sharp, onion- or garlic-like odour.
 
Where: Acrylonitrile is used mostly to make plastics, acrylic fibres, and synthetic rubber. As acrylonitrile evaporates quickly, it is most likely to be found in the air around chemical plants where it is made, according to the ATSDR.
 
Impact: Exposure to large amounts of the chemical affects mainly the nervous system. Symptoms can include headaches and nausea, while exposure to higher concentrations may temporarily damage red blood cells and the liver.
 
Long-term exposure to acrylonitrile may increase the chances of getting cancer, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
 
4. HYDROGEN CHLORIDE
What: Hydrogen chloride has a strong irritating smell. The chemical's colour ranges from colourless to slightly yellow. Hydrogen chloride vapour is corrosive.
 
Where: It can be formed during the burning of many types of plastic. The chemical has many uses, including for cleaning, pickling, electroplating metals and tanning leather. The chemical exists naturally as liquid hydrochloric acid in the stomach to aid with digestion.
 
Impact: Hydrogen chloride gas is intensely irritating to the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, and respiratory tract. Exposure to high concentrations can rapidly lead to swelling and spasm of the throat and suffocation, according to the ATSDR.
 
5. METHANE
What: Methane is a colourless, odourless and highly flammable gas.
 
Where: Methane is a primary component of natural gas, and natural sources of it include bodies of water, wildfires and digestive processes of animals.
 
Impact: Methane exposure reduces oxygen levels in the body and can cause organ damage, including to the brain and heart. Methane gas can also irritate the eyes.It is only harmful if the concentration is so high that it displaces oxygen in the air, which could lead to symptoms such as rapid breathing and a rapid heart rate.
 
6. TOLUENE
What: Toluene is a clear, colourless liquid with a distinctive smell.
 
Where: It occurs naturally in crude oil and in the tolu tree. Toluene is also produced in the process of making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil. The chemical is used in making paints, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, adhesives, and rubber and in some printing and leather tanning processes.
 
Impact: Symptoms of repeated exposure include headaches, sleepiness, and an impairment in ability to think clearly.
 
Low to moderate, day-after-day exposure to toluene can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, and loss of appetite, according to the ATSDR.
 
7. XYLENE
What: Commercial grade xylene is a clear, colourless liquid with a sweet, aromatic odour.
 
Where: It is mostly obtained from crude petroleum. Xylene is widely used as a thinner and solvent in paints, inks, adhesives, and other products, and also as a solvent in pesticide products.
 
Impact: Xylene irritates the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Acute exposure to its vapour may irritate the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
 
Symptoms of xylene poisoning include central nervous system effects like headaches, dizziness, and drowsiness.
 
8. ETHYLBENZENE
What: Ethylbenzene is a colourless liquid that smells like gasoline.
 
Where: It is found naturally in oil, and is also used in fuels. Products like gasoline, paints, pesticides, carpet glue, varnishes, and automobile products contain ethylbenzene.
 
Impact: Exposure to high levels of ethylbenzene in the air for short periods can cause eye and throat irritation. Exposure to higher levels can result in vertigo and dizziness.
 
9. D-LIMONENE
What: D-limonene is a colourless liquid or oil with a pleasant lemon-like smell.
 
Where: The chemical is widely used as a flavour or fragrance additive in cosmetics, food, and industrial solvents. It is a major constituent in citrus oils such as orange, lemon and grapefruit.
 
In the Pasir Gudang incident, the d-limonene is from the recycling of tyres, said Ms Yeo.
 
Impact: D-limonene is considered to have fairly low toxicity. Studies involving humans demonstrated low toxicity of d-limonene after single and repeated doses for up to a year.

 

10. HYDROGEN CYANIDE

What: A highly poisonous gas or volatile liquid with an odour of bitter almonds, made by the action of acids on cyanides.

 

Where: Hydrogen cyanide is a chemical warfare agent (military designation, AC). It is used commercially for fumigation, electroplating, mining, chemical synthesis, and the production of synthetic fibers, plastics, dyes, and pesticides.

 

Impact: Impedes the normal use of oxygen by the body's organs and can be deadly. All organ systems sensitive to low oxygen levels - the brain, heart, blood vessels and lungs - are vulnerable.

 

 

Sources: United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, World Health Organization, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Toxicology Data Network.

 

Aiyo!  Punggol and Pulau Ubin are so near! 

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