According to www.newhampshire.com recent explosion in Nippon Shokubai Co.’s manufacturing unit in Himeji, Japan, has triggered a concern for availability of diapers in United States. The accident has resulted in one death and 30 injuries.
Acrylic acid is used in adhesives, coatings, paints, floor polishes etc. In diapers the superabsorbent polymer is having acrylic acid as main ingredient.
IMDG Code lists Acrylic acid under Class 8 (Corrosive substances) UN 2218, Proper shipping name “ACRYLIC ACID, STABILIZED” with subsidiary risk 3 (flammable) ; observation states “May polymerize violently, which may cause fire and explosion unless properly stablized.”
Transport is not permitted in unstablized state. Stabilization is normally done by hydroquinone monomethyl ether.
Read news @
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120930a6.html
http://www.newhampshire.com/article/20121013/NEWS02/710139952
Related articles
- Diaper Shortage Looms After Explosion (abcnews.go.com)
- A World-Wide Diaper Shortage? Yeah, but that’s just for Starters (rheothing.com)
- World diaper output may take a hit from blasts at Japan plant (news.yahoo.com)
- World diaper output may take a hit from blasts at Japan plant (straitstimes.com)
- World diaper output may take a hit (todayonline.com)
- You: Plant blast poses threat to supply of major resin (japantimes.co.jp)
- Uh-Oh! Diaper shortage possible after plant explosion (shaan.typepad.com)
- Chemical plant explosions in Japan may cripple global diaper output… (worldnews.nbcnews.com)