Ecologist: I doubt the safety of the substance burned on the  territory of the chemical plant "Nairit"

ArmInfo.The head of the association "For the sake of stable human development", ecologist Karine Danielyan doubts the safety of the substance burnt in the territory of the chemical plant "Nairit". "It's hard to believe that there are no dangerous substances in the burning material," the ecologist said in an interview with ArmInfo.

According to Karine Danielyan, judging by the chemical composition at  this stage, it is very difficult to unequivocally state that the  burnt lacquer-ethanol in these volumes does not pose a danger both in  terms of releasing chemical substances into the atmosphere and  causing harm to the health of the population of Yerevan. "I think  it's very important to establish control over the situation and try  to react quickly," she said.

Earlier, the monitoring group of radiation, chemical and biological  situations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia  conducted a study at the site of the fire at the Nairit chemical  plant and presented details about the burning substance. According to  Colonel Valery Bagiyan, Head of Monitoring Department of Radiation,  Chemical and Biological Situations of the Ministry of Emergency  Situations of Armenia, 50 tons of lacquer-ethanol or three of the  four tanks located on the territory of the plant were burned at the  Nairit plant. "The specified substance is difficult to extinguish  with water, at present works are performed to cool the tanks, after  which the combustion will be extinguished with foam," the expert  said. A preliminary version of the cause of the fire at the plant is  self-ignition of lacquer-ethanol, since this substance has the  ability to spontaneous combustion at high temperatures, he noted.

The representative of the Ministry of Emergency Measures assured that  there is no chemical danger due to the explosion at the chemical  plant, as there are no harmful emissions to the atmosphere and  threats to the health of the population. As for the information that  the firemen working near the fire center were poisoned by smoke and  they received first aid, then, as the colonel said, the firemen  sensed only a small lack of oxygen and carbon monoxide emissions, but  soon returned to service.

The Ministry of Health of Armenia is also confident that the  substance burned in "Nairit" is not dangerous for health. "The  substance burning in the territory of the Nairit plant does not pose  a threat to the population," the Ministry of Health said. In this  case, the agency refers to the data of the Ministry of Emergency  Situations. At the same time, the Ministry of Health calls on  residents of nearby plant areas to close windows and doors, and also  to refrain from walking. The Ministry of Health with reference to the  Armenian Hydrometeorological Service also reports that after 17.00,  wind flows from the northeast to the southwest are predicted, which  means that the smoke through the Arart Valley will go to Turkey.

Lac-ethanol is a pellicle-forming material, a solution of high  polymers of acetylene in the xylene fraction, stabilized by  wood-molyanyantioxide. Lac-ethanol is used both for the painting of  building structures and for the protection of chemical equipment. It  can be used for the production of anticorrosive coatings for metal,  wood and concrete.