Authorities yet to identify warehouse contents but Greenpeace warns of health risks from a chemical blaze
Reports say the warehouse that exploded was storing highly toxic goods, and approaching rains could spread pollutants
More than 17 hours after the blasts in Tianjin, authorities have yet to specify the goods stored at the warehouse and only termed them as “dangerous”.
The environmental organisation Greenpeace Beijing expressed concerns over the health risks posed by certain chemicals after two massive explosions rocked the area on Wednesday night.
A report by China Youth Daily said the shipment company that owns the warehouse stored highly toxic chemicals including sodium cyanide and toluene diisocyanate, according to information from the company’s website, which became inaccessible on Thursday.
Greenpeace, citing information from Tianjin Tanggu Environmental Monitoring Station, said the company also stored calcium carbide in addition to the chemicals mentioned by the Daily.
The three chemicals are highly toxic and can present health threats both with short and long-term exposure.