Does an explosion like the one in Beirut threaten the port of Haifa? • Ehud Kinan, Professor of Chemistry from the Technion • Interview

Could an explosion like the one that happened last night in Beirut, at any moment, happen in the port of Haifa?

Last night, 04/08/20, a massive explosion occurred in the port of Beirut in Lebanon, apparently caused by a chain ignition, which reached the ammonium nitrate warehouse, which is a fertilizer for agriculture, but can also be used as an explosive.
The material exploded in what looked like a nuclear explosion (see videos later in the article).
The explosion destroyed a huge area and the report in Beirut is about damage to houses, up to 10 kilometers from the place of the explosion.

The number of injured in the Lebanese port city reaches over 3,000 people, and the number of dead is not yet clear, as there are hundreds missing at this stage.

The port of Haifa also has similar dangerous substances, which in the event of a malfunction, as happened in Beirut, could lead to a disaster. In order to understand the magnitude of the disaster that may occur here, and the likelihood that it will happen here, in the Haifa Bay, we sat down for a conversation with Professor of Chemistry from the Technion in Haifa, Ehud Kinan.

Ehud Kinan, professor of chemistry from Haifa, in an interview with Lahi Pa:

What caused the explosion in Beirut?
I heard all the security commentators gathered on TV yesterday, who said they had no idea and that it was impossible to know what the source of the explosion was. When I saw the pictures, it was clear to me what the source of the explosion was, I saw the color of the smoke. Smoke that has a black, orange, red color, this is the typical color of nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides are created by burning a nitrogenous fertilizer, such as a type of ammonium nitrate.

Such disasters have happened in the past

A disaster of this type happened, for example, in 1947 in the port of Texas in the USA, where there was a ship, which was loaded with a very large amount of ammonium nitrate. About 2000 tons. For comparison, in Beirut there were 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate. The process of the disaster was very similar.

At first there was a small fire, which grew into a big fire, and then, the fertilizer started to burn. The resulting orange-red smoke attracted many curious people who came and crowded near the platform to see this thing. None of those curious remained alive. The explosion was so big that the ship's anchor flew three kilometers from its original location. 1000 houses were obliterated and 600 people were killed.

The ship itself became like a hand grenade. 6 tons of metal fragments scattered and killed many people. The impact and shrapnel even brought down two planes that were in the air.

There were a few more cases:
In 2013 there was a very similar disaster, also in Texas. There were only 500 tons, but the explosion was close to residential buildings. 150 buildings were destroyed in the explosion. There too, first a fire started which then turned into an explosion, just as happened in the capitals.

In 1995, there was a terrorist incident in Oklahoma City, when two Americans blew up a truck loaded with ammonium nitrate. In the explosion, the entire federal building was destroyed and nearly 200 people were killed

If ammonium nitrate is stored carelessly, there is a reasonable chance that if a fire occurs nearby, a terrible explosion will result, as happened in Beirut.

The main thing that exploded yesterday was ammonium nitrate, which had been stored sloppily and probably illegally for six years, after it was seized and confiscated from the ship carrying it. Apparently the fire started from welding work that caused the fire. It seems that something else that was stored there ignited and increased the fire. They claim that it was actually a warehouse of fireworks that caused a big fire, which reached the storage of ammonium nitrate.

What health danger is there to people who were not injured, but were in the explosion area? Is there a health hazard for people still in the same area?
Now there is nothing dangerous there. What is created in the explosion are nitrogen oxides. Of course they are not healthy for the lungs, but they do not create a lasting effect and irreversible damage. It is not dangerous to continue to be in this area. The nitrogen oxides are no longer there

Can a disaster like what happened in Beirut happen here, in Haifa Bay, at any moment?
Major disasters can happen for all kinds of reasons and from all kinds of materials. There is a surefire prescription for major disasters of this kind to occur, and I identify three factors in this prescription. By the way, when we were engaged in the great war over the ammonia tank three years ago, I recognized all three of these elements. Fortunately, the tank was shut down before a major disaster occurred. These ingredients exist both in Beirut and in other parts of the world. By the way, I have now finished writing my book on the ammonia war. The main thing in the book is not the technological matter, but the political matter. The State of Israel failed in the ammonia story as it is failing today in the Corona story.

Three causes of disasters

I identify three causes of such failure: one is technological negligence and lack of knowledge. The second factor is the weakness of the regulator. In our cases in the ammonia case, the relevant regulator was the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Home Front Command. Both of these factors failed miserably, by not doing their job, and that's what the Supreme Court said. The third factor is governmental corruption. In Beirut there is no doubt that there is a long history of governmental corruption. But, even with us, we know exactly what is happening.

The accumulation of these three factors leads to disasters. It doesn't matter right now if it's ammonium nitrate or if it's ammonia or if it's any other substance.

Ammonia kills silently

It is also important to note, the ammonia disaster does not manifest itself in an impressive explosion and a variety of spectacular colors, but ammonia is much more dangerous. It kills silently, by poisoning, and can kill many more people.

In the story of the great explosion in Beirut and elsewhere, people were killed by the explosion.

Fortunately for us, the big disaster surrounding the ammonia story did not happen, because we managed to empty the tank exactly three years ago, in September 2017. This tank was not needed by anyone, although it was presented as an essential and strategic facility. Today, with a perspective of three years ahead, it is understood that not only was the tank not essential and strategic, it was a strategic threat to the State of Israel and in fact was not necessary at all. All industries continue to function successfully without it.

If, heaven forbid, a bomb falls on the petrochemical industries in the Gulf region, could a greater disaster than what happened in Beirut happen?
No need to guess, it has already happened, but not with us. On October 24, 1967, at the end of the Six Day War. The IDF decided to destroy the petrochemical industry in the Gulf of Suez, in response to the sinking of the destroyer Eilat. The industrial complex in the Gulf of Suez was very similar to what we have in the Gulf of Haifa. Within one hour, using artillery and tanks, the entire petrochemical industry in the Gulf of Suez was destroyed. Before the attack, Egypt was an exporter of fuels. One hour later, Egypt became an importer of fuels. If the other side wants to do the same to us, they have no problem destroying the entire petrochemical industry we have in the Gulf. Regarding threats of this type, the intentions of the enemy are not considered at all, but only their capabilities. And there is no debate about his abilities.

But what can such destruction, of the petrochemical industries in Haifa, cause?
big fire There will be black smoke and bonfires all over the bay. It is clear that whoever is near the containers will be hurt, but it will not be a sudden disaster with many casualties. It won't be a terrible explosion like the one in Beirut. This will cause tremendous damage to the Israeli economy and the petrochemical industry is an industry valued at billions of dollars. Of course, severe infection may also result. The good news is that such an attack would cause dramatic changes in the Israeli economy and industry, but we currently do not have a ticking bomb like the ammonia tank was, or like the ammonia nitrate warehouse in Beirut that no one knew about.

But is it possible that there is also a warehouse in Haifa, which relevant parties are not necessarily aware of?
Could be, but not in such dimensions and in such quantities. I am actually more optimistic, not because I trust the Israeli government, and not because I trust the Israeli regulator. I trust the engineers and chemists who work in the Israeli industries. These are very talented and responsible people, and they know what they are doing. Ammonium nitrate is not a very dangerous substance, you just need to know how to handle it correctly, and in my opinion they handle it correctly. If you store it correctly, make sure it doesn't dry out and don't exaggerate the quantities, there is no safety problem and it will continue to faithfully serve agriculture in Israel and around the world.

In your opinion, do the petrochemical industries invest enough resources to keep the residents in the area safe?
I think they are doing what they can. I think there are responsible people there, who do what is possible and act according to standards accepted in Europe. I really appreciate the chemists and engineers who work in the industry, they are responsible people and I definitely think they know what they are doing. They have receipts and they have good will and motivation, and I really believe in them.

Can the residents of Haifa rest assured that what happened in Beirut will not happen here?
In my opinion, nowadays, when the ammonia tank is no longer there, you can be calm. It is hard for me to believe that there is a certain place or accumulation of any material that can cause an explosion of such intensity. When there was ammonia here, compared to the ammonia disaster that could have happened here, the explosion in the beers could have looked like a picnic. But today we are in a much better situation.

Do you think it is possible to move the petrochemical industries to another place?
Everything is possible.

Surely it would cost billions, wouldn't it?
Yes, but the land there is expensive enough to cover the expenses.

If you could move these industries to another place in the country, where do you think is the optimal place for the industries?
There aren't many options. The least populated place in Israel is the Negev, so it's better there. We are a tiny country and we don't have many options. this is what there is.

Following the attacks on industry in the Haifa Bay following the explosion in Lebanon, the Chemical Union of the Manufacturers' Association responded:

"The industry in Haifa meets all the strictest standards in the world in terms of safety. The industry in Haifa contributes to employment, livelihood and the city's economy much more than the populists who are only good with words and have not supported a single person in their lives. It is outrageous to see that there are people in a hurry to scare the public in Haifa, against the background of an event, not only that it is not yet known what occurred in it, but even though it is an event in a country that is not defined as a developed country, and therefore there is no place to compare the safety standards there with the standards in Israel, which are among the strictest in the world."