Ammonia leak at the Neochim fertilizer plant in Dimitrovgrad
The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) – Haskovo has detected a visible leak from an ammonia transport pipeline at the production site of the fertilizer plant Neochim AD. The inspection is part of a large-scale monitoring of industrial enterprises in the region.
The operator has been given a strict directive to rectify the technical malfunctions in the pipeline network by August 31.
Reports of a pungent odor have been received since August 17. Initial inspections by the eco-inspectorate did not record any exceedances of atmospheric air quality standards outside the site boundaries, but the latest walkthrough revealed serious violations:
- The leak is located near a cooling tower.
- The vegetation and soil in the area have turned black.
- A strong odor and eye irritation are felt on site.
At present, the plant's production facilities are not operating, but deliveries of liquid ammonia by rail tankers are ongoing. An attempt to start the "New Nitric Acid" workshop on August 18 was unsuccessful, which necessitated cooling of the equipment. The causes of the incident are yet to be clarified.