Chittagong port to destroy 5.0MT hazardous chemicals

A total of five metric tonnes (MT) of date-expired hazardous chemicals which remained stored at P-Shade of the Chittagong Port for one decade will be destroyed to make the port risk-free.

Besides, another stockpile of undelivered, abandoned goods at the port will be sold in auction which will be held today (Monday).

The stockpiles of chemicals, including Hydrogen Peroxide, Bulk-kits, Dithionate, Hydrochloride, Nitro-glu Solutions and Caustic soda have become risky to keep them at the port as their date have already been expired. The chemicals have remained stored at the P-shade since 2010, sources said.

Port officials said, the Chittagong Customs House (CCH) has arranged auction of 49 goods on Sept 7 that remained abandoned at the sheds for years. These items are usable. Of these goods, 43 are chemicals while the rests are fruits and foods.

Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) sources said the 5.0 MT date-expired chemicals will not be put in auction as the goods have become risky now. So these chemicals will be destroyed.

The CPA had formed a seven-member committee, headed by its member (Marine and Harbour) Commodore Shafiul Bari, to check the chemicals and the committee submitted its report in August.

After getting the report, the CCH decided to destroy the unusable, risky chemicals, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner (Auction) of CCH Farid Al Mamun said, "We have taken a final decision to destroy 5-MT chemicals from P-shade as their date has expired and they have become useless. These could be risky for safety of the port."

CPA Secretary Omar Faruk said, "(the) CCH will call auction or destroy the undelivered goods. We have already sent a letter to the customs authorities regarding disposal of the undelivered goods."