Formaldehyde Update (2): Hexamethylenetetramine Leak from Industrial Waste Processing Co. in Takasaki City, Gunma

The company got the job of disposing the waste that contained hexamethylenetetramine from DOWA Hightech, a major chemical company located in Saitama Prefecture. The industrial waste processing company claims DOWA didn't tell them that there was hexamethylenetetramine in the waste. DOWA says yes they did.

From Tokyo Shinbun (part; 5/25/2012):

利根川水系から取水する首都圏の浄水場で処理済み水道水から有害物質ホルムアルデヒドが検出された問題で群馬県高崎市の産業廃棄物処理施設から原因物質とされるヘキサメチレンテトラミンが利根川支流の烏川（からすがわ）に排出された可能性が高いことが二十五日、埼玉県の調べで分かった。

Concerning the detection of formaldehyde in drinking water the water purification plants in the Tokyo Metropolitan areas along the Tone River and its tributaries, Saitama Prefecture has identified the industrial waste processing facilities in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture as the likely culprit that leaked hexamethylenetetramine into the Karasugawa River, a tributary of the Tone River.

　埼玉県によると同県本庄市の化学製品会社「ＤＯＷＡハイテック」が今月十日、高崎市の烏川沿いにある産廃業者二社にヘキサメチレンテトラミンを含む廃液の処理を委託した。うち一社は十八日までに約六十トンを処理したが、同社の設備ではヘキサメチレンテトラミンを十分に分解することができず、河川に排出されたとみられる。

According to Saitama Prefecture, the company DOWA Hightech in Honjo City in Saitama contracted two industrial waste processing companies along the Karasugawa River in Takasaki City to process waste liquid that contained hexamethylenetetramine on May 10. One of the companies processed about 60 tonnes of waste liquid by May 18, but the company's facility was not able to adequately break up hexamethylenetetramine, and it was discharged into the river.

　埼玉県は十九日に、この産廃業者への立ち入り検査を実施したが、産廃業者は「ハイテック社からは、ヘキサメチレンテトラミンを含む廃液だとは知らされていなかった」と説明したという。

Saitama Prefecture did the on-site inspection of this company on May 19. The company's explanation was that DOWA Hightech didn't tell them the waste liquid contained hexamethylenetetramine.

　一方、ハイテック社は本紙の取材に「廃液の分析値は示しており、業者が適正な処理をしていれば、ヘキサメチレンテトラミンは取り除かれていたはずだ。ほかの業者への委託でも、これまで問題はなかった。不正の認識はなく、県の調査に協力していきたい」としている。

DOWA Hightech told this newspaper, "We showed them the analysis of the waste liquid. If the company had done the proper processing, hexamethylenetetramine would have been removed. There has been no problem when we contracted other companies. We don't think we've done anything wrong, and we will cooperate with the investigation by the prefecture."

　また、もう一つの産廃業者は高崎市の調査に「群馬県外の別の産廃業者に再委託した」と説明したという。

The other waste processing company told Takasaki City that they had subcontracted an industrial waste processing company outside Gunma Prefecture.

Well, Japan cannot even manage chemical substances, let alone nuclear materials. And the prefectural governments withheld the information of their investigation for six days. Life as usual in Japan, nuclear accident or not.

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