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Computer card responsible for Orica leak

About 20,000 litres of weak ammonium nitrate solution overflowed from a tank at the Kooragang Island plant

A failed computer card was behind the latest chemical leak at Orica's Newcastle plant, the company says.

About 20,000 litres of weak ammonium nitrate solution overflowed from a tank during pumping operations at the Kooragang Island plant on Wednesday afternoon, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said.

Orica site manager, Sean Winstone, said an investigation by the company found that the spill was primarily the result of a failed computer card.

"The failure of this computer card meant that the control system did not shut down the plant before the overflow occurred," Winstone said in a statement on Thursday.

"We will be keeping that section of the plant shut down until we can install equipment to prevent any future overflow."

The leak came just one day after an EPA-led committee announced it had endorsed the resumption of some operations at the Kooragang Island plant.

The spill also occurred on the day a NSW parliamentary inquiry was held into the August 8 leak of hexavalent chromium over nearby Stockton.

The Orica site has been almost entirely shut down since an ammonia vapour leak on November 9 led to two railway workers being taken to hospital.

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More about: Island, Orica

Comments

1

robert

Tue 20/03/2012 - 22:10

"We will be keeping that section of the plant shut down until we can install equipment to prevent any future overflow"

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