Calls for large chemical stockpile in Newcastle to be moved after deadly Beirut blast
Concerned residents are calling for large amounts of ammonium nitrate stockpiled in a plant north of Sydney to be moved away from the community.
The chemical is believed to be the same that exploded in Beirut, killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 4000.
Between 6000 to 12,000 tonnes is stored at Orica's Kooragang Island plant in the Port of Newcastle.
Between 6000 to 12,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate is stored at Orica's Kooragang Island plant in the Port of Newcastle. Janie Barrett
According to Lebanon's Interior Minister, 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate went up in yesterday's blast.
Keith Craig of the Stockton Community Action Group said it would be "catastrophic" if the Newcastle supply exploded.
"It would be catastrophic for Newcastle if it went up for sure," Mr Craig told Today.
"The likelihood is low but if you look at a risk profile, if it ever did happen, the outcome would be catastrophic.
Beirut now resembles a war zone after the massive explosion. CNN
"It really puts it as a high-risk plant, not the sort of plant you have right in the centre of Newcastle."
The factory is located about three kilometres from Newcastle's CBD and 800 metres from North Stockton residents, he said.
Mr Craig is one of 300 residents of the action group calling for the Orica plant to be moved, or its ammonium nitrate stockpile to be cut down.
"I think urgently they need to reduce the amount stored here and have a separate storage away from communities, well away, so they can bring the storage right down," he said.
Keith Craig of the Stockton Community Action Group is calling for Orica's ammonium nitrate stockpile to be reduced or moved. Nine/Today
In a statement after the Beirut blast, Orica confirmed its product was not involved and said its safety practices were world-leading.
"Our number one priority is the safety of our people and the communities we operate and we take a rigorous, best-practice approach towards safety in the production, storage and transport of all our products, including ammonium nitrate," a company spokesman said, "In relation to ammonium nitrate, Orica adheres to all international standards and local regulations that ensure safety at every stage of the manufacturing supply chain."
Even small amounts of the product can be deadly.
In 2001, 29 people were killed in an explosion at a fertiliser factory in Toulouse, in France, while 15 people died in a blast in Texas in 2013.
Both explosions involved about 300 tonnes of ammonium nitrate.
"So you can see it doesn't take very big volumes but certainly, urgently, that should be reduced to low levels," Mr Craig said.
"(And) this plant is 60 years old. It is time for a new one anyway."
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