The Sandoz chemical spill was a major environmental disaster caused by a fire and its subsequent extinguishing at Sandoz agrochemical storehouse in the Schweizerhalle industrial complex, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, on 1 November 1986, which released toxic agrochemicals into the air and resulted in tons of pollutants entering the Rhine river, turning it red.[1]
Cleanup efforts after the fire
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Schweizerhalle fire and chemical spill.
The chemicals caused a massive mortality of wildlife downstream, killing, among other animals, a large proportion of the European eel population in the Rhine,[2] although the situation subsequently recovered within a couple of years.[3] Among the major resulting water pollutants were dinitro-ortho-cresol, the organophosphate chemicals propetamphos, parathion, disulfoton, thiometon, etrimphos and fenitrothion, as well as the organochlorine metoxuron.[4]
The cause of the blaze was never established.[5] In 2000, Vincent Cannistraro, a former senior U.S. intelligence official, stated that the Soviet KGB had ordered the East German Stasi to sabotage the chemical factory. According to him, the operation's objective was to distract attention from the Chernobyl disaster six months earlier in the Soviet Union.[6][7][8] The Swiss authorities were considering opening investigations again.[7][5][needs update] No evidence of this presumed sabotage has ever surfaced.[citation needed]
As a consequence of the incident Sandoz extended its health, safety and environment activities and introduced new procedures for risk and emergency management, including auditing.[9]
^Güttinger, Herbert; Stumm, Werner (June 1992). "Ecotoxicology An Analysis of the Rhine Pollution caused by the Sandoz Chemical Accident, 1986". Interdisciplinary Science Reviews. 17 (2): 127–136. doi:10.1179/isr.1992.17.2.127.
^Anton Lelek & Christian Köhler (1990). Restoration of fish communities of the rhine river two years after a heavy pollution wave. Regulated Rivers: Research & Management 5 (1): 57-66.
^Halfon, Efraim; Büggemannr, Rainer (January 1989). "Environmental Hazard Ranking of Chemicals Spilled in the Rhine River in November 1986". Acta hydrochimica et hydrobiologica. 17 (1): 47–60. doi:10.1002/aheh.19890170107.
^ abPolice moot new probe into Schweizerhalle blaze. Swiss info.
^KGB ordered Swiss explosion to distract attention from Chernobyl. United Press International. 27 Nov 2000
^ abStasi accused of Swiss disaster. The Irish Times. Nov 23, 2000.
^Sehnsucht Natur: Ökologisierung des Denkens (2009). Johannes Straubinger.
sandoz, chemical, spill, major, environmental, disaster, caused, fire, subsequent, extinguishing, sandoz, agrochemical, storehouse, schweizerhalle, industrial, complex, basel, landschaft, switzerland, november, 1986, which, released, toxic, agrochemicals, into. The Sandoz chemical spill was a major environmental disaster caused by a fire and its subsequent extinguishing at Sandoz agrochemical storehouse in the Schweizerhalle industrial complex Basel Landschaft Switzerland on 1 November 1986 which released toxic agrochemicals into the air and resulted in tons of pollutants entering the Rhine river turning it red 1 Cleanup efforts after the fire Wikimedia Commons has media related to Schweizerhalle fire and chemical spill The chemicals caused a massive mortality of wildlife downstream killing among other animals a large proportion of the European eel population in the Rhine 2 although the situation subsequently recovered within a couple of years 3 Among the major resulting water pollutants were dinitro ortho cresol the organophosphate chemicals propetamphos parathion disulfoton thiometon etrimphos and fenitrothion as well as the organochlorine metoxuron 4 The cause of the blaze was never established 5 In 2000 Vincent Cannistraro a former senior U S intelligence official stated that the Soviet KGB had ordered the East German Stasi to sabotage the chemical factory According to him the operation s objective was to distract attention from the Chernobyl disaster six months earlier in the Soviet Union 6 7 8 The Swiss authorities were considering opening investigations again 7 5 needs update No evidence of this presumed sabotage has ever surfaced citation needed As a consequence of the incident Sandoz extended its health safety and environment activities and introduced new procedures for risk and emergency management including auditing 9 Notes and references edit 1986 Chemical spill turns Rhine red BBC News Guttinger Herbert Stumm Werner June 1992 Ecotoxicology An Analysis of the Rhine Pollution caused by the Sandoz Chemical Accident 1986 Interdisciplinary Science Reviews 17 2 127 136 doi 10 1179 isr 1992 17 2 127 Anton Lelek amp Christian Kohler 1990 Restoration of fish communities of the rhine river two years after a heavy pollution wave Regulated Rivers Research amp Management 5 1 57 66 Halfon Efraim Buggemannr Rainer January 1989 Environmental Hazard Ranking of Chemicals Spilled in the Rhine River in November 1986 Acta hydrochimica et hydrobiologica 17 1 47 60 doi 10 1002 aheh 19890170107 a b Police moot new probe into Schweizerhalle blaze Swiss info KGB ordered Swiss explosion to distract attention from Chernobyl United Press International 27 Nov 2000 a b Stasi accused of Swiss disaster The Irish Times Nov 23 2000 Sehnsucht Natur Okologisierung des Denkens 2009 Johannes Straubinger Website of doCOUNT Ltd See also editEnvironmental movement in Switzerland Environment in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland Portals nbsp Switzerland nbsp Water nbsp Environment 47 31 56 N 7 40 15 E 47 53222 N 7 67083 E 47 53222 7 67083 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sandoz chemical spill amp oldid 1215639935, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
