Police raid ISK over alleged toxic gas production

02 June 2008 12:27  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS news)--The premises of Japanese industrial gas producer Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha (ISK) have been raided by police as the company is alleged to have violated the law by producing more phosgene than the maximum permitted, the government said on Monday.

 

The company had produced more than 30 tonnes/year of phosgene at its plant in Yokkaichi, above the amount which could be produced before filing official documents, alleged the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

 

ISK produced 98.1 tonnes of phosgene in its fiscal 2005 and 73.5 tonnes in fiscal 2006 but had not filed documents with the ministry to this effect until this year, an unnamed ISK spokesman told ICIS news.

 

The company had stopped producing phosgene at the plant in October 2006, he added.

 

The ongoing investigation “would probably take no more than a few months”, the company spokesman said.

 

ISK hoped to restart the production of phosgene after the investigation was completed but it was facing opposition from local residents, he added.

 

If the producer was found guilty, it would be fined yen (Y) 300,000 or less, said the ministry.

 

Phosgene is used in the production of methyl di-p-phenylene isocynate (MDI) and polycarbonate and is toxic.

By: Tomomi Yokomura
+65 6780 4359

< previous article(VIDEO – ICIS news Americas Lunchtime Bulletin 3 November 2009)

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly