’ PETROHEMIJA Photos from Petrochemical Complex Pancevo, Yugoslavia after NATO strikesPantevo, 16" April 1999 It is my duty and obligation to inform the domestic and international public that on 15" April 1999 at 22:40 NATO forces heavily bombarded the plants of the Petrochemical Complex in Pantevo which were in regular operation, Installations and equipment of the Vinyl Chloride Monomer plant and Ethylene plant were directly hit, Indirectly, heavy and destructive explosions damaged the Chlor- alkali plant and Polyvinylchloride plant and buildings inside the complex as well as a large number of civil houses and flats in the surrounding area. The fire broke out and huge quantities of toxic matters such as chlorine, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer flowed out. The transformer stations were alsa heavily damaged and very toxic transformer oil flowed out, Unfortunately but unavoidably a large number of people were injured and intoxicated. At this moment we do not know the exact number of intoxicated and injured civilians who were evacuated. Due to the power failure and utilities and auxiliary fluids interruption a large quantity of combustible, explosive and toxic matters remained trapped in the equipment, installations and tanks. It will take a lot of time to drain and evacuate all those matters from the plants before the plants could be considered safe for a wide surrounding area. The plants have been heavily damaged and cannot be put in operation. According to all the terms and rules of warfare accepted and followed so far, the plants of chemical process industries of this type have never been military targets and ubjects of surikes. The range of products of “HIP Petrohemija” d.p. Pan¢evo is of extremely civil nature and bombardment of these plants represents the worst war crime and it reveals genocidal intentions of the aggressor. Therefore, we call upon the petrochemical producers, licencors and engineering houses all over the world to raise their voice and warn those who give orders for bombing of the danger and catastrophic consequences caused by bombing of this kind of plants. HIP PETROHEMIJA dp. Dr Slobodan Tresaé, rector General@ <> PETROHEMIJA Panéevo, 21* April 1999 Official statement in connection with the second bombing of the Petrochemical Complex of Pangevo. On 18" April 1999 at 1:10h in the moming, NATO forces hit the plants of a socially owned company “HIP Petrohemija” for the second time. Several destructive missiles directly hit the storage area of chlorine, storage area of vinyl chloride monomer and storage arca of ethylene dichloride as well as the chlor- alkali plants. At the same time storage tanks and plants in the nearby Oil Refinery of Pantevo were hit and also the Fertilizers Factory “AZOTARA” was hit and destroyed. In the location covering less than one thousand meters we had fires, explosions and release into the air, soil and the Danube of the following toxic and/or explosive matters: chlorine, ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride monomer, hydrochloride ~ liquid and gaseous, mercury, phosgene, carbondioxide, sulphur dioxide, pyralene, phosphorous oxides, organix peroxides, hypochlorite — caustics. light and heavy chlorinated residues, phenol, benzol, styrene and ammonia Today, the fourth day after bombing we still have products of crude oil and heavy sludge burning rasing into the sky and contaminating a very wide surrounding area. Because of high concentration of toxic fumes, smoke and soot ahont 80,000 inhabitants of Panéevo and surrounding residential areas have been evacuated. Competent authorities have warned the residents of this area that food stuff may not be used without being examined previously because of high concetration of the matters harmful to health. Enclosed you will find basic characteristics of toxic matters as well as their effects on humans and animals (in next e-mail). After these strikes. peaceful and diligent people of Pandevo, farmers and agricultural producers have concluded that the intention of the aggressor was to kill the entire city. HIP PETROHEMIA PANCEVO Dr Slobodan Tresaé Director GeneralBasic characteristics and effects of some toxic matters on human body and animal CHLORINE Toxicology’ itis very irritating — inhalation can cause a fatal lung edema, Effects on health: Ingestion leads to digestive tract irritation causing stomac ache, diarrhea and blood in the stool. Inhalation causes irritation and sharp sticking in the mouth, sharp pain the the chest, heavy asthmatic breading, headache and dizziness, EDC ‘Toxicology: It 18 a narcotic, when its vapours are inhalled it acts as poison. Effects on health: It is harmful to liver. It is toxic either when inhalled or ingested. Clinical picture of acute intoxication shows the depression and damage to liver and kidneys, Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach ache. Disturbances of the consciousness to coma levels. Depression of respiratory system causes death. vom Toxicology: Human carcinogen. It is irritating and its presence is not permited in the working atmosphere Effects on health: It is harmful to liver. tis toxic either when inhalled or ingested. Clinical picture of acute intoxication shows the depression and damage to liver and kidneys, Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarthea and stomach ache. Disturbances of the consciousness to coma levels. Depression of respiratory system causes death NaOH Toxicology: It is toxic both when inhalled or ingested. It is harmful to all kinds of tissues. Effects on health: When inhalled it causes irritation of the nose and mouth, sticking in the chest ~ it often causes the appearance of blood in the spit. Lung edema is a last result of this intoxication. Hcl Toxicology: Coughing, suffocation, inflammation and ulceration of the respiratory system, Effects on health: When inhaled it causes irritation of the nose and mouth, sticking in the chest ~ it often causes the appearance of blood in the spit. Lung edema is a last result of this intoxication, Shock occurs very frequently. NaOCl Toxicology: It is very irritating to mucous tissue. Effects on health: When inhalled it causes irritation of the nose and mouth, sticking in the chest ~ it often causes the appearance of blood in the spit. Lung edema is a last result of this intoxication SO, Toxicology: Itis very irritating. Effects on health: When inhalled it causes irritation of the nose and mouth, sticking in the chest ~ it often causes the appearance of blood in the spit. Lung edema is a last result of this intoxication.MERCURY Toxicology: Iisa very strong toxic matter. Effects on health: Inhallation of its vapour can damage nervous and digestive systems, kidneys and liver. It causes heavy pain in the stomach, vomiting. diarrhea with bloody stool, ulcers in the mouth cavity. AMMONIA Toxicology: It causes burns. Ammonia vapour is very irritating, Effects on health: It has all the characteristics of strong irritants and corro coughing, skin sticking, pain in the eyes. Inhalation of concentrated ammonia causes lung. edeura, spasin of the glouis and suffocation. PYRALENE Toxicology: It isa toxic human carcenogen. Effects on health: It causes skin changes, ulcers, damages to liver. It is highly dangerous for pregnant women. PHOSGENE Toxicology: It is one of the most toxic gases. Special danger: There are no alarming symptoms when itis inhalled. Fffects om health: t is # very strong battle toxin — high concentration ean cause acid damage of lungs and a very quick death. STYRENE Toxicology’ It irritates eyes and respiratory system, Effects on health: It irritates eyes and respiratory system heavily, causes a headache, dizziness and sleepiness. It is likely to cause spasms in the belly. In higher concentration it is narcotic. Itattects heart, liver and kidneys. Products of oil and oil derivatives in ig These products cause very serious chemical lung pneumonia and they contain a large number of toxic and carcinogenic matters. The released products contaminate the atmosphere for a Jong time as well as a very wide area - reaching the distance of several thousand kilometers. ‘The products of burning are very toxic and carcinogenic matters: oxines, dioxines, benzopyrenes and similar. In combination with unfavourable weather conditions the spreading of these matters can present an ecological disaster on a very wide area. The most frequent atmospheric streams are in the dircetion of north-west and north, i.. in the direction of Central Europe. A special problem is contamination of soil and rivers as well as of underground waters.Photo 1: Chlor-alkali plant Storage tanks for li Photo 2: Chlor-athali plant Storage tanks for quid chlorine of 600 tons capacity. The demage caused 20 tons of chlorine to be released into the stmosphere.Photo 3: Chlor-alkali plant Cosequences of destructive bombing of the liquid chlorine tank V-50-10C. Photo 4: Chlor-alkali plant Cosequences of destructive bombing of the liquid chlorine tank V-0-10D,‘Vinyl Chloride Monomer plant Missiles hit two storage spheres for Vinyl Chloride Monomer of 3,000 tons capacity. Photo 6: Vinyl Chloride Monomer plant Storage spheres for Vinyl Chloride Monomer. One of them contained 1,200 tons of Vinyl Chloride Monomer which started burning and then exploded after it had been bombed, Large quantities of its burning products including phosgene released into the atmosphere.Chloride Monomer plant Reloading facility and a number of railway tank-cars destroyed,Photo 8: Vinyl Chloride Monomer plant Ethylene-dichloride production section Ethylene-dichloride storage tank containing 1,500 tons washit and 1,400 tons flowed into Danube river.Photo 9: Vinyl Chloride Monomer plant Ethylene-dichloride production section Ethylene-dichloride storage tank containing 1,S00 tons was hit and 1,400 tons flowed into Danuie riverPhoto 10: Chlor-alkali plant Storage tanks V-60-1 containing. 6,000 of caustic, The demage caused 3,000 tons to flow into the Danube river.Photo 11: Vinyl Chloride Monomer plant Storage tank for 33% hydrochl into the Danube river. cid. The demage caused 800 tons of acid to be releasedPhoto 12,13: Images of the destroyed area within the Petrochemical complex of Pancevo after bombingPhoto 14,15: Five days after the strike huge quantities of toxic fume till fill the air. More thi 80,000 inhabitans of Pancevo have bees evacuated.Photo 16,17: Chlor-alkali plant is distroyed ‘The production is based on marcury cells wich contained 100 tons of mercury when struck. Large quantities were released into the soil and the Danube river.