Rumors of toxic chemicals in Tianjin stemming from ignorance and control

The explosions at warehouses at Tianjin Port in China, which occurred on Wednesday last week, is a type of accident typical to a less developed country, which was caused by negligent management of chemical materials. The accident left more than 200 killed or missing, and since many of the injured are in critical conditions, the death toll is feared to rise further. Places for piling up ordinary materials or freight were illegally converted into warehouses for storing chemical materials, and chemical substances were surrounded by residential areas, expressways and railways, things that are not supposed to be located in such areas. Firefighters unconditionally sprayed water without knowing what substances were kept inside warehouses, which sparked massive explosions.

The biggest concern is complete disappearance of 700-ton sodium cyanide in the warehouse due to the explosions. Sodium cyanide is a highly toxic substance that was used by the Nazis to massacre prisoners during the World War II. As leak of sodium cyanide was confirmed, the Chinese government deployed 200 soldiers from a military chemical unit to the accident site, and evacuated more than 6,300 people from within a 3 km radius from the site in an effort to contain risks, but fears have yet to subside.

Unconfirmed rumors are spreading like wild fire on Chinese social media, including Weibo and Weishin, suggesting that “The death toll amounts to at least 1,000,” “Shops were looted,” and “Toxic materials were flown to Beijing fanned by winds.” The Chinese authority has shut down 360 social network accounts that spread ghostly rumors, but such efforts have only had limited effect thus far. Public distrust and discontent about the government is apparently expressed in the form of ghostly stories in the wake of the Tianjin accident.

Beijing’s media control is fueling ghostly stories to spread further. China has built concrete wall, and is scrambling to block toxic materials from streaming into water supply and the sea, while blocking media from accessing the accident site. Ghostly stories have spread to Korea, and a message allegedly originating from the U.S. Embassy in China, which warns people to avoid rains contaminated by sodium cyanide, is spreading here.

Sodium cyanide was combusted at the time of explosion, and is heavier than air. Hence there is no chance for the substance to stream fanned by air current. However, 28 of the 31 nuclear power plants under construction in China are located in the country’s east coast. If radioactive material is leaked from a nuclear plant there, the Korean Peninsula will inevitably suffer direct damage. China should exert every effort to prevent accident in recognition of concern over potential damage to its neighboring countries.

As evidenced by hydrofluoric acid leak at Gumi Industrial Complex in Korea in September 2012, Korea is not immune to accidents of chemical substances either. Learning lessons from China, which is struggling amid the double whammies of strife for disaster recovery and ghostly rumors, Korea should redouble efforts to ensure safe management of chemical substances.